APES Animal Therapy
Our service users are benefiting from the company of a 'therapy animal' to help with their treatment for stress, anxiety, and depression.
Where appropriate and where service users are keen, they are able to interact with the animal, and some choose to hold and stroke, or groom and hug, as they participate in therapy. This helps provide comfort in moments of distress, and helps to rebuild self-esteem.
Daniel said: "Animals works as a great ice breaker in one-to-one and group therapy sessions. They lifts the spirits of service user visits. Petting or stroking an animal does wonders for your blood pressure and stress levels."
Daniel believes the reason that animals is such a success with his because "they don't feel judged by a animal, who is able to display unconditional acceptance, and they feel more confident to confront their issues".
How can pet-assisted therapy help?
How can pet-assisted therapy help?
Pet-assisted activities encourage service users to have conversations with their APES Mental Health Mentor, as well as with their fellow service users. This can be helpful in promoting social interaction and breaking down barriers, emotionally and in a social context.
Animals can trigger the release of endorphins, a feel-good neurotransmitter which gives a calming effect and boosts the level of serotonin, a chemical linked with happiness and well-being.
By directing one's attention towards another living thing, a service user's focus is drawn away from his or her own difficulties and, for a while, they can distance themselves from their distress and then begin talking about their own issues and consider ways forward.
In this way, pet-assisted therapy enables a service user to work with a mentor towards attaining clinical set goals.
Universities worldwide are turning to therapy animals to relieve their students' pre-exam nerves and first-term homesickness.
And studies have found that just the presence of a animal can help lower levels of stress and anxiety. A recent Dogs Trust survey found that 95% of dog owners in Britain believe that interacting with their dog made them happier, with 89% saying they talk to their dog when no one else is around.
Some experts say the presence of an animal in a hospital environment helps patients feel more at home.
