"Animal Assisted Therapy:
A Mental Health Therapist's Dream Realized"
By Tanya Welsch, MSW April 2000
Five years ago, I was a graduate student in social work who wanted to do something that did not seem to exist: utilize animals in my therapeutic practice with people. My professors and colleagues did not know what to make of me and I was often asked, "What are you doing here?", "You belong at the vet school", and "I have this problem with my _______ (insert pet here), can you help me?" Through much creativity and perseverance, I graduated with a coursework and internship concentration in animal-assisted therapy (AAT); I just didn't know this until a few years later. That same year, I married and moved to Minnesota, a state that I was hopeful would allow me to practice my "unconventional" form of social work. I even seriously entertained the idea that maybe I did need to go to vet school and that the mental health field was just not going to be an avenue that would provide me with AAT opportunities. However, the powerful experiences I have had with the many forms of nature and animals continued to serve as reinforcement that AAT was the type of therapy that I wanted to practice and share with others.
Throughout my professional career, I have primarily worked with children and youth who suffer from severe forms of behavioral and emotional difficulties such as ADHD, major depression, bipolar disorder, chemical dependency and conduct disorder. A child's "diagnosed problem" is a unique combination of biological, economic, familial, educational and social deficiencies. In addition, these children have seen countless therapists, doctors, and counselors, can recite their DSM-IV diagnosis backward and forward, and use appropriate mental health lingo when discussing their difficulties with others. By the time these children come to me, they are prepared for a familiar routine of "tell me how you feel" and "what I hear you saying is." I have found that for some youth, their issues and difficulties are best addressed outside the four walls of an office.
I was able to hone my skills and natural inclination to turn to nature and animals while I was a Children's Mental Health Case Manager. My caseload consisted of the most severe in the county and many of these children were on the verge of being placed in a residential setting. While visiting with my clients and their families, I explored the child's response to family pets and interest in being with animals. I paid particular attention when a child or parent revealed acts of animal cruelty, especially when coupled with firesetting behaviors and chronic bedwetting as these three factors have been shown to correlate to later violence towards others. I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of my clients had a current or past positive connection to a pet or animal and that through this animal, we were able to develop a unique relationship. For example, upon visiting a client's home for the first time, the child was anxious to show me his pet and of course I was equally anxious to see the animal called "Fluffy" thinking that there could be little harm in an animal with this kind of sweet name. Before I knew what was happening, a large white rat was placed on my lap and then proceeded to leave me a few presents as good measure. The entire family waited for my response, probably thinking I was going to jump and scream like a crazy woman. When I picked Fluffy up and stroked him on his back and remarked as to what a fine looking rat he was, I knew I had passed this family's test. Stories and memories about a child's experiences with animals and nature often say volumes more than a child could ever know about his or her beliefs, feelings, family dynamics, and life events.
Because animals communicate in ways we are only beginning to understand, observing animal behavior with one another as well as with us can reveal some of a person's internal connections, yearnings, and deficiencies that would otherwise go unnoticed. During a canine therapy program I coordinated last year, a child who was working with a dog that would not behave or respond to training expressed much frustration and wanted to quit. The therapist explained to him that the dog was simply responding and duplicating the child's own energetic behavior and possibly, if the child was calmer, the dog would behave better. The child sat there with a confused look on his face and looked at the dog while the dog looked at him. The following week, the child proceeded to remain seated, followed program directions better, and spent more time tuned in to the dog instead of acting like it was something attached to the end of a leash that could be ignored. By the end of the second week of this behavior, it was obvious to all that these two had developed a bond, that this child cared for and took responsibility for the dog, and that both of them were more responsive to instruction and guidance.
Along with my colleague Molly DePrekel, a licensed psychologist who uses AAT in her private practice, we have formed Minnesota Linking Youth, Nature and Critters, Inc. (MN LYNC), a nonprofit specializing in animal-assisted therapy programs, education, and consultation. We have developed and implemented an equine-assisted therapy program and canine-assisted therapy program, have written three manuals on AAT curriculum, lesson plans, and activities and we also consult with various agencies that would like to start an AAT program at their facility or with their clients. Currently, we co-facilitate a certificate course in animal-assisted therapy and education through PAN, Inc. (People, Animals, Nature) and will be repeating the class again this fall. What is exciting and rewarding about this class is that it provides others with the theoretical and historical frameworks of AAT and an academic structure to a growing professional field. Another need we are trying to address is the gap in communication abilities for veterinary students. For the second year, we are co-instructors at the University of Minnesota*s veterinary school for a class that emphasizes the human-animal bond, ethics, and the death and dying process. In the context of a safe environment, it is hoped that vet students can role play difficult situations that they may someday face in their practice and then receive feedback and coaching on their techniques. We plan to someday have a farm site where clients can come for AAT and where spirituality and mental wellness workshops and retreats can be offered to the public.
Over the course of the last three years, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some talented and visionary people in the field of AAT. My career has slowly begun to take shape, but I have had to apply the same perseverance and creativity that I did as a graduate student and I have had to learn from and be prepared for disappointments that have happened along the way. I was the type of child that kept crayfish in a kiddie pool, slept with my rabbit, raised butterflies, and spent summers on a farm with my pony. My family was lucky to ever see me but they always knew where they could find me. I am thankful that my mother supported my love for nature and animals, as she never once threw my bugs away, she taught me how to care for injured wildlife, and she was honest about the circle of life. It is because of my connections to animals and nature that I am spiritually and mentally healthier and a more grounded person. I have heard that this decade will be the decade of spirituality and I am hopeful that this will be a reality. Too many parts of our society have become disconnected to each other, to their surroundings, and to themselves and yet, we are surprised when a child carries a gun to school and kills a classmate or when racial hatred still exists in our country. For practitioners and clients, a few minutes each session focused on an animal, a plant, or the environment is often the catalyst needed to readjust one's perspective, rejuvenate healing, and instill hope and love for the future.
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