What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) “is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal is incorporated as an integral part of the clinical healthcare treatment process. AAT is delivered or directed by a professional health or human service provider who demonstrates skill and expertise regarding the clinical applications of human-animal interactions.” (source: Denver Pet Partners)
Maggie has retired as a therapy dog after providing more than 8 years of comfort, support, and skill building to patients. Now, her sister, Rosie is learning how to become a therapy dog.
Rosie is a loving goldendoodle who is 1/4 golden retriever and 3/4 poodle, making her very low shedding and mostly hypoallergenic dog. She is currently going through training to become a registered therapy dog.
Benefits of working with an animal include:
- Lowers blood pressure
- Releases bonding chemicals (called oxytocin) that has been shown to improve relationships and decrease anxiety and eating disorder behaviors
- Improves cardiovascular (heart) health
- Produces a calming effect by releasing neurotransmitters and endorphins
- Decreases anxiety and depression
- Decreases physical pain
- Increases and improves communication
- Decreases loneliness and boredom
- Helps eliminate fears, specifically that of dogs and other animals
- Improves the ability to relate and bond with the therapist, making treatment more likely to be effective
- Improves empathy skills
- Improves self-esteem and confidence
- Decrease symptoms associated with post traumatic stress disorder
Call today to find out how working with Rosie and Dr. McFarland can help you live the life you want! 303-709-5897 tonya@trustedtherapy.com