More Than Just Mans Best Friend
It is inevitable, people will experience trauma throughout their lives. Working through the trauma is important. One of the newest and growing areas to help people work through the trauma that they have experienced is the use of animals. Now this is not a new concept in the world, it even goes as far back as the 1700s when they were used in asylums. Matuszek, S. (2010, July). Animal-Facilitated Therapy in Various Patient Populations:… : Holistic Nursing Practice. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/hnpjournal/Fulltext/2010/07000/Animal_Facilitated_Therapy_in_Various_Patient.3.aspx.
When it comes to treating trauma with animals there are two different categories, Animal-assisted activities or “AAA” and animal-assisted therapy or “AAT”. Animal Therapy for PTSD. (2016, October 06). Retrieved from https://strengthtoheal.org/animal-therapy-for-ptsd/. When describing AAA, the dogs are used in casual activities that involve dogs being around people that are going through trauma. Animal Therapy for PTSD. (2016, October 06). Retrieved from https://strengthtoheal.org/animal-therapy-for-ptsd/. There is no target for people that take part in AAA, there are just events with animals for people going through trauma. (Animal Therapy for PTSD). While on the other hand AAT is a program to help people work through trauma with the assistance of a dog that has been trained and it is targeted to improve a person in the physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning. (Animal Therapy for PTSD).
I think that animal based therapy could be extremely beneficial to people who have experienced serious trauma in their lives. One area that has seen some beneficial results is the interviewing of child victims in sexual assault cases. Walsh, D., Yamamo, M., Willits, N. H., & Hart, L. A. (2018, February 23). Job-Related Stress in Forensic Interviewers of Children with Use of Therapy Dogs Compared with Facility Dogs or No Dogs. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00046/full. Now the result is not just based on the children, but on the people, who have to conduct the interviews. (Walsh, 2018). Obviously this area is a very delicate subject to be discussing with children. So, anything that can help the kids relax and answer questions about a terrible experience in their life. In the study the 32 people that used dogs in their practice none of them reported that the dog was less helpful in their interviews than working without a dog. (Walsh, 2018).
Now the benefits of using animals to help with trauma experienced by people is not only beneficial for people working with children that are sexual assault victims. One of the other areas that has seen a benefit is veterans dealing with PTSD. Animal Therapy is Making Strides in the Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder |. (2011, December 19). Retrieved from https://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/trauma-ptsd/animal-therapy-ptsd-treatment/. There are a lot of veterans who deal with PTSD after they come back from overseas. These dogs help people express feelings and emotions as well as do things without using aggression.
These ideas to use animals especially dogs is something that should be used more and more. Speaking from personal experience when you come home and your dog is there and happy to see you it makes any bad day just a little bit better. Now, I have not been in combat or sexually assaulted, but working in the Public Defender’s Office in the domestic violence courtroom has created some more stress in my life. Having a dog would help bring that stress level down without having to do things like drink. Having another being that is relying upon you can make you forget about your own stresses.
At the end of the day dealing with trauma is a personal journey. There are some things that will work for people and some things that will not. The important part is that people who do go through a traumatic experience acknowledge that they are going through something and learn to work through it. I think that the use of animals is something that all people need to consider. I think that it is beneficial because you could have a service animal without it really having it known to everyone. Having issues is not something that everyone wants to have out in the open so having an animal that helps take care of those issues quietly is beneficial.
Animal Therapy for PTSD. (2016, October 06). Retrieved from https://strengthtoheal.org/animal-therapy-for-ptsd/
Animal Therapy is Making Strides in the Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder |. (2011, December 19). Retrieved from https://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/trauma-ptsd/animal-therapy-ptsd-treatment/.
Matuszek, S. (2010, July). Animal-Facilitated Therapy in Various Patient Populations:… : Holistic Nursing Practice. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/hnpjournal/Fulltext/2010/07000/Animal_Facilitated_Therapy_in_Various_Patient.3.aspx.
Walsh, D., Yamamo, M., Willits, N. H., & Hart, L. A. (2018, February 23). Job-Related Stress in Forensic Interviewers of Children with Use of Therapy Dogs Compared with Facility Dogs or No Dogs. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00046/full.