Animal-Assisted Therapy. Discover Its Benefits

What is animal-assisted therapy?

It is a form of psychological treatment in which the animal is part of the therapeutic process. It is used in adults and in children who are exposed to vulnerable social circumstances or who have altered physical and/or emotional conditions. The animals most commonly used in this type of therapy are horses, dogs, and in some cases dolphins.

The objective of this therapy is to bring about a change and an improvement in various aspects of the person, whether psychological, physical, educational, or emotional.

In which areas is this type of therapy used?

- Education, cognitive skills are taught, helping to improve reading.

- Neurodegenerative Diseases, such as Alzheimer's or dementia.

- Prisons and juvenile detention centers, participants take part in the care and training of the animal and help find it a home, thereby enabling the rehabilitation of the incarcerated person and the acquisition of social skills.

- Programs for people with special needs, whether physical or mental.

- Visual and hearing difficulties, they provide support so that these people can adapt more easily to their environment.

- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the animal becomes a focus of attention to concentrate on, allowing for more direct work on that deficient aspect characteristic of the disorder.

- Play-based therapies allow children to experience their emotional growth by recognizing emotions and controlling impulses. They have the opportunity to express fears, frustration, anger, aggression, etc., to work directly on them, confronting and controlling them.

What benefits does it have?

Some of the benefits of this therapy are:

- A source of calm.

- A greater focus of attention for people with special needs and attention deficit.

- Direct treatment for depression.

- It reinforces empathy.

- It generates and strengthens the bond.

- Therapy through physical contact with the animal, generating a feeling of well-being.

- It provides help for social reintegration.

- They are a great support for people with disabilities due to the help they provide.