Therapy dogs now helping with treatment in addictions and substance misuse
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If you or someone you know has ever struggled with addiction, then you know treatment is a rough journey. But two women from the University of Saskatchewan hope to make their clients’ troubling time easier by introducing therapy dogs.
Colleen Dell, a professor of sociology and Darlene Chalmers, assistant professor of social work, said therapy dogs have been used to help those suffering from mental health issues, but new research is going into the role therapy animals play in treating addictions and substance misuse.
“The dogs don’t judge. They don’t come with any background or pre-conceived ideas about that individual or their past or what their particular circumstance might be,” Chalmers said. “They are there just to be with that individual, so that can lend to creating a rapport with the dog handler, but also with a counsellor or treatment provider who might be alongside as well.”
Both Chalmers and Dell feel the role of animals in treating addiction is important because it helps staff build a rapport with a client. The relationship with the dog helps open up lines of communication by decreasing a client’s stress level.
