Woof I Can Help
As a family psychologist, I’m always interested in learning about different therapeutic approaches to helping kids. One approach that receives much less attention than it deserves is a therapy involving animals, especially pets. Animals can help reduce the vulnerability children feel when they are working on different types of behaviors or emotional challenges. Whether you have to talk to your child about “all the missing cookies” or a more serious matter, the presence of a pet can go a long way toward reducing his or her discomfort and self-consciousness. Being able to hug a dog or pet a cat while dealing with some tough issues helps to limit the feeling of “being on the spot.” The warmth of an animal’s body, the softness of its coat – the very fact that it is a living thing – provides an opportunity for emotional relief and connection. Many pet owners say they enjoy the unconditional love an animal provides. What is perhaps more important is the opportunity a pet provides to expr