Animal-Assisted Therapy For Troubled Girls
Parents looking for effective therapy methods to help troubled teen girls can learn about
Animal Therapy at the Clearview residential treatment program and school .
Clearview is a residential treatment program that is a safe 24/7 monitored environment where girls receive personal care and individual therapies that help heal their mental and emotional disorders –whether brought on by trauma, adoption, or other causes. One of those therapies is animal-assisted therapy, led by licensed therapists. Animal-Assisted Therapy is a therapeutic intervention incorporating animals into the treatment plan.
Many studies show that interacting with an animal can aid in various mental and physical issues such as insomnia and anxiety disorder. Some of the many benefits of animal-assisted therapy include reducing stress, alleviating pain, reducing blood pressure, and improving mental state. Additionally, animal therapy helps improve joint movement and motor skills, develop social skills, increase motivation for exercise, decrease isolation and loneliness, and help teens develop nurturing and empathic skills.
One of the most significant benefits of animal therapy is the reduction of stress and anxiety levels. When interacting with a friendly animal, the human brain releases “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins that make the patient feel relaxed and more at peace.
Benefits of Equine Therapy At Our Residential Treatment Center
Equine therapy has been successful in helping patients show marked improvements in the following areas:
- Assertiveness
- Emotional awareness
- Empathy
- Stress tolerance
- Flexibility
- Impulse control
- Problem-solving skills
- Self-actualization
- Independence
- Self-regard
- Social responsibility
- Interpersonal relationships
Equine Therapy at Clearview can help a troubled adolescent girl build trust, self-efficiency, communication, perspective, social skills, impulse control, and learn boundaries. Since the horses share similar social and responsive behaviors, girls easily create a connection with the horse during equine therapy.
When a girl works with a horse, it senses her emotions. If she acts scared, the horse becomes alert to her fear and prepares to run away from pending danger. As girls learn to regulate their emotions and take charge of the horse, they gain self-esteem and confidence.
Research suggests that equine therapy is highly effective in treating girls with various disorders because horses can be non-judgmental and patient. Furthermore, horses are sensitive and observant creatures that give an adolescent girl quick feedback, helping her become more aware of herself.
The two main reasons horses make for perfect therapeutic animals are their ability to be wholly unbiased and mirroring. Pet therapy research suggests that equine therapy is highly effective in treating patients with a wide array of disorders as horses can be non-judgmental and patient. Furthermore, horses are sensitive and observant creatures that provide the patient with quick feedback, helping them be more aware of themselves.
That’s why we offer Animal Therapy in addition to counseling for teens. We want each student to experience effective counseling and improve daily life at school and back home with family.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of animal therapy at the Clearview residential treatment center and school, please call us. We are a residential treatment center for troubled girls, ages 12-17, experiencing future-impacting relational or emotional difficulties brought on by trauma. We look forward to helping your young girl and family soon. Please call us now for more information. (888) 796-5484.
Source:
https://www.healthline.com/health/pet-therapy#benefits http://anxietytreatmentexperts.com/equine-assisted-therapy/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/animal-assisted-therapy
https://www.counseling.org/Resources/Library/ERIC%20Digests/2001-05.pdf
