Dog A Key To Stress Management
There is no shortage of news about how students are experiencing a great deal of stress due to their studies, and lives in general. Many universities are implementing novel intervention programmes in order to assist with with stress management. Counselling programmes are a vital in good mental health for not only young people, but people of all ages.
However, there may be an additional ally to the fight for good mental health. Man’s best friend, the dog. Research from the United States has shown that stress can be reduced considerably by being exposed to dogs. Many US Universities are beginning to use “therapy dogs” as part of their mental health programmes. This is not strictly a US manifestation, here in the UK there are more and more therapy animals being used. Animals, particularly dogs, seem to have a rapport with humans and can help to reduce stress as well as promote positive emotions like love and care.
So, perhaps it will be common place in the future when you see your psychotherapist, that he or she may have a canine associate with them as well. I’m sure that there would not be an additional fee to consult the Psychotherapy Dog. Well, maybe a scratch or two behind the ears 🙂
