Dogs have been used in psychology for as long as it exists. Their aid has been especially helpful since World War II with people suffering from PTSD. Dogs are often used in therapies with people who, in their everyday life, receive little to no physical touch with others. The canine healer proves very helpful in getting people to open up to the idea of physical contact with other humans or animals. Dogs can also be crucial in helping people who have suicidal thoughts or self harm. In the article I read, a woman’s case was given as an example of dogs helping with self harm and making people focus on happy memories (in this case, Susan’s family dog) instead of the bad ones. Lastly, the dog’s breathing can sometimes synchronize with the client’s, making them both more relaxed. These are only some ways dogs can be significant in psychology or therapies. I will be giving more examples in the next posts.
Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rhythms-recovery/201708/dogs-healers-dogs-co-therapists-ptsd
I've never had a dog but have often played with my friends' dogs and can easily understand how dogs can be used as mood-enhancers.
OdpowiedzUsuńI'm looking forward to your next posts.