People don't realize the benefits of alternative treatments because they only consider traditional therapies. One example is animal assisted therapy (AAT). However, what is animal assisted therapy, and how can it help people with addiction?
Before people look for an animal assisted therapy program in San Antonio TX, it's important to understand this treatment. It's a type of therapy that utilizes animals during the rehab process. In general, people don't participate in only AAT. Instead, this method is part of a bigger rehab treatment plan.
It's important to note that AAT and animal visitation programs aren't the same. AAT is a goal-inspired treatment. Animal visitation is a program where animals visit people at facilities. While visitations serve a purpose during treatment, they don't achieve the same goals as AAT.
Learning what is animal assisted therapy is just the start. The more that people know about it, the easier that it is for them to accept animals into their lives. For that reason, they should learn some interesting facts about AAT before they participate.
First, the most popular AAT animals are dogs. It makes sense because dogs are "man's best friend." In fact, the link between dogs and humans is why experts use dogs to accelerate healing after natural disasters.
Another fact about what is animal assisted therapy is that horses are the second-most popular animal that experts use. The reason is that they're one of the few animals that not only observe but also respond to nonverbal cues. As a result, they're great at recognizing emotional distress in people and responding accordingly.
Besides horses and dogs, a number of other animals can be beneficial in AAT. Some of them include cats, llamas, and rabbits. Llamas are becoming a popular choice because of their playful and loving demeanor.
AAT isn't a new form of treatment. On the contrary, the father of modern-day psychology, Sigmund Freud, used an animal during therapy. His Chow Chow, Jofi, assisted the sessions often. Records even show that Jofi new exactly when 50 minutes was up to end the session.
Are you looking for addiction therapy services that think outside of the box? AAT could be a good option for you. At San Antonio Recovery Center, we provide unique services that are effective and affordable. A few of the Texas addiction rehab programs that we offer include:
Participate in AAT to add some variety to your treatment and cheer up your life. So what is animal assisted therapy? How can it help me at San Antonio Recovery Center? Call us now at 866.957.7885 to learn more.
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