How a therapy dog can help combat mental illness

Dog owners know how wonderful their pets are in helping us cope with day to day life. Some of our canine companions are extra-special, helping as therapy dogs. Here is the story of one such dog, Lara and her owner psychotherapist Daniel Fryer from Priory Hospital in Bristol, UK.

How a therapy dog can help combat mental illness

The presence of a dog can make us feel happy and soothed, as they trigger the release of feel-good chemicals including endorphins and serotonin in our brains.

This means that they make excellent therapy pets. Lara, my therapy dog, works with me during my sessions and helps my patients to feel comforted and protected when they need it most.

I adopted Lara from Battersea Dogs Home and she became a therapy dog partly due to my job as a psychotherapist at Priory’s Hospital in Bristol. Lara is a Staffordshire bull terrier, a breed that is very loving and people-orientated, which makes them very effective as therapy dogs. She is registered with Pets as Therapy and I have an Animal Assisted Therapy diploma alongside my other qualifications.

Staffies have a bit of a bad (and unjustified) reputation, and I like to think of her as a good-will ambassador for the breed.

Lara supports me with many of my patients, sitting in on both one-on-one and group sessions. She helps me to create a safe space, where her non-judgemental and accepting nature makes it easier for my patients to start a conversation.

The benefits of working with a therapy dog

Lower blood pressure, the release of calming endorphins, relaxation, lower anxiety levels, higher spirits and lower depression are all benefits of both animal assisted therapy (AAT) and animal assisted activities (AAA).

AAT can also encourage patients to feel comfortable talking in a way they may not have been able to do before. As a person focuses on the dog, they are drawn away from their own difficulties so that for a while, they are distanced from their own distress. This can give them an opportunity to begin talking about their own issues and consider ways that they can move forward. Therapists also tend to be viewed more favourably when present with a pet.

A therapy dog needs to have the right kind of temperament: not too excitable and not too placid; able to react well to other people’s visible displays of emotion; not react badly to sudden noises and movements, and be able to provide comfort and reassurance in times of distress.

People are less likely to feel judged by a dog, as they display unconditional acceptance. This can help a person to feel more confident to confront their issues, which in turn can enable them to rebuild their self-esteem. This can reduce feelings of alienation, where a person is encouraged to understand and recognise that they are not alone.

A day in the life of Lara

When it is appropriate and when a patient is keen to meet Lara, she comes along with me to the session (either one-on-one, or in a group setting).

During this time, my patient will pat, stroke, groom or hug her as they participate in their therapy. She offers a unique comfort, and during sessions many of my clients will happily sit on the floor so they can stroke Lara.

If a session is new – whether one-to-one or group – she acts as a great ice breaker. A person will feel more at ease. She is also brilliant when patients are feeling stressed and anxious, as she provides them with love and attention.

On one occasion, Lara went over a particular patient who was being a little quiet in the group, put a paw on her lap and literally demanded some attention. So, they had a cuddle. Afterwards, the lady told me it was exactly what she needed at that moment and was convinced that Lara had sensed that.

As well as helping in one-on-one therapy sessions, Lara and I also undertake ward visits one morning a week. For many, she is the highlight of their stay and spirits are always lifted after seeing her.

Generally speaking, Lara gets better feedback from our patients than I do!

About the author:
Daniel Fryer is a psychotherapist specialising in cognitive behavioural therapy and clinical hypnotherapy at Priory Hospital Bristol. He also provides animal-assisted therapy with his therapy dog, Lara.