Pet Therapy: A Growing Field for Mental Wellness

Dr. Susan Turner is a psychiatrist in New York who grew up in South Georgia, where her father was a veterinarian. Recently, Dr. Susan Turner has begun including animals into her practice, and has a therapy dog who works with her in her office.

Pet therapy is a growing field that has been shown to be beneficial in several contexts. Therapy dogs, for example, are generally friendly and social animals who can help lift the spirits and calm the anxieties of people in nursing homes, prisons, or rehabilitation centers. Even some programs in colleges will bring in dogs to help stressed-out students during exam time.

Interacting with animals has been shown to be especially beneficial for some mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, and depression. For some people dealing with these issues, it can be much easier to interact with an animal offering unconditional acceptance than a human being. Focusing on the needs of the animal can help these patients develop trust and empathy, and simply petting them immediately releases endorphins in our brains. Animals may in time prove an indispensable aspect of our physical and mental health.