Animal-assisted therapy is an animal-assisted intervention that is guided by a professional. In animal-assisted therapy, the therapist has specific measurable goals and objectives. In addition, the therapist has to measure and document the client’s progress with this particular intervention.
A good example of animal-assisted therapy is using it to provide dialectical behavior therapy. I have utilized therapy dogs in teaching self-soothing through the use of your senses. I start off by talking about how the dogs use their senses to self-soothe and distract themselves and then I transition to the client so that they can then learn those self-soothing distress tolerance skills that are so critical in dialectical behavioral therapy.
Dr. Yvonne Eaton-Stull is an Associate Professor of Social Work and Program Director of the BSSW Program at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. Dr. Eaton-Stull is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in animal-assisted social work, crisis intervention, and forensic social work. She has two therapy dogs and actively provides animal-assisted interventions in many human service agencies. She is a canine handler with HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response where she has provided comfort and support following crises and disasters throughout the United States for over 15 years. Her recent research has included implementing animal-assisted interventions in state prisons to address stress and anxiety, self-harm, and grief and loss.
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