The Benefits of Incorporating Dogs in the Therapy Process

How might our beloved four-legged friends enhance the therapy process? Well, research shows there are quite a lot of benefits to having dogs around during therapy…

Dogs are able to coregulate our nervous systems when we are dysregulated and overwhelmed by complex emotions.

• Having a dog as part of the therapy experience can make therapy more fun and enjoyable.
• Dogs can sense our emotions through our physiological responses and body language.
• Dogs can help us facilitate the emotions that we can be nervous to share with another human.
• Their presence offers sensory stimulation in the therapy environment that especially appeals to our senses of touch and sight.
• Dogs prompt us to lower our defenses and feel safe.
• Dogs offer unconditional acceptance and nonjudgmental friendship.

These are just a few of the many reasons why dogs can enhance the therapy process. Something that therapists seek to embody is unconditional positive regard. Who better to do this alongside than a man’s best friend?

Therapy can be an extremely vulnerable place for people, so having a dog beside you can bring a sense as comfort. I have directly seen clients let down their guard because they feel the peaceful presence of a dog beside them. One client even shared, “Often I am nervous to talk about my trauma, but when Abbey sits beside me, I feel like I’m not alone and I can talk about my story.”

We regularly work with people who struggle to show themselves love in some former fashion. Dogs don’t have any prerequisite to show love. Unlike humans, they show love without considering one’s past flaws or mistakes. Dogs teach us how to love ourselves by the love they show us.

There’s also much we can learn therapeutically from observing and interacting with dogs. Like we teach our clients, they listen to their bodies, they show their emotions, they establish trust, and they find beauty in the world around them.

If you visit our Norcross office, you will often see Birdie (Bernese Mountain Dog) and Abbey (English Cream Golden Retriever) roaming around the halls or in the therapy room. They are always so excited to meet clients and show them love! They enjoy snuggling up beside you on the couch, going on a walk during the session in the Historic downtown, and of course, getting lots of treats!

If you want them incorporated into your therapy experience, we are happy to introduce you to them! However, we know that not everyone is a dog person and our top priority is making sure you get the most out of your therapy experience, whether that is with or without a dog present.