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| Dr. Susan Turner |
Dr. Susan Turner is an experienced New York-based psychiatrist with experience in both academic and hospital settings. In order to improve outcomes for her patients, Dr. Susan Turner has recently begun to incorporate service animals into her practice.
Animal lovers have understood the positive psychological impact of pets for generations. Science is finally catching up, and the last decade has seen an influx of studies on the therapeutic value of animals. A 2012 review of 69 studies confirms a long-held belief: animals make us feel better, especially when we are at our most vulnerable. Read on to learn about three benefits of therapy animals.
1. Therapy animals teach patients to trust other humans. Several studies have shown that simply having a dog present can encourage psychiatric patients to trust their doctor more, which has uniformly positive implications for patient outcomes.
2. Interaction with animals improves empathy and reduces aggression. This effect is especially pronounced in children, who respond the most dramatically to the presence of a friendly dog.
3. Animals help reduce stress, anxiety, and fear. In almost all circumstances, the presence of a calm therapy animal helps patients relax and feel calm. In many cases, petting or walking an animal can even have physical effects like reduced blood pressure and heart rate.
