Animal assisted psychotherapy
Phil Prothero
Including animals in psychotherapy sessions is not a new concept, but the scientific research proving this as an effective therapeutic intervention has lagged. Over the past few decades there has been more research being published which is providing the scientific justification to what many of us knew to be true from firsthand experience. Including animal interactions in psychotherapy can make a big difference in clinical outcomes. In this article I hope to address some of the frequently asked questions about the inclusion of animals into counseling. Many species of animals can be incorporated into psychotherapy. The most common species are …