What is Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)?
Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a type of therapy that involves the presence or participation of a formally trained and assessed animal (e.g., Benji) as part of the therapeutic process. Lynsey Byrom Clinical Psychology’s therapy dog (e.g., Benji) works alongside Dr Lynsey Byrom to help support emotional wellbeing, build trust, and make the therapy space feel more comfortable and engaging. The goal of AAT is not to focus on the therapy dog, but to use the connection between humans and animals (i.e., human-animal bond) to enhance the therapeutic experience. For example, spending time with a therapy dog such as Benji can help reduce anxiety, lower stress and make it easier to discuss uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. During therapy sessions the therapy dog may sit on your lap or nearby, he may be stroked, or he may participate in gentle guided interactions. He may also choose to sleep or rest on his bed in the office. You will not be asked to interact with Benji if you do not feel comfortable to do so and therefore you can also choose whether or not you wish to have Benji present in your therapy sessions.
AAT is empirically supported by research showing benefits such as:
- lower heart rate and blood pressure
- increased feelings of safety and calm
- improved mood and emotional regulation
- enhanced connection and engagement in therapy
What is the difference between a Therapy Dog and an Assistance (or Service) Dog?
It is common to hear the terms “therapy dog” and “assistance dog” and you may be questioning what is the difference between the two.
A therapy dog is trained to provide comfort, emotional support, and a sense of calm to people in various settings – such as the therapy space at Lynsey Byrom Clinical Psychology. Therapy dogs work with a handler (i.e., Dr Lynsey Byrom) to help others feel safe and supported. They help reduce stress, ease anxiety, and make emotional work in therapy feel more approachable. Their role is to support many people emotionally, not just one individual.
An assistance dog (or service dog) on the other hand is trained to perform specific tasks for one person who has a disability (e.g., physical, sensory, psychiatric or medical). These dogs help their handler with daily tasks (like guiding someone with vision loss, alerting to seizures, or providing grounding during panic attacks). Their job is to support one person and their individual needs.