ANIMAL ASSISTED COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY

Animal-assisted counseling and psychotherapy involve interactions with animals to enhance mental health and emotional well-being. This approach can significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness, while also improving mood and facilitating social interaction. It has proven to be effective for a variety of conditions, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and enhancing social skills.

Extensive research shows the medical benefits of spending time with animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list some benefits as:

• Lowered blood pressure

• Lower cholesterol

• More likely to exercise

• Lowered risk of diabetes

• Lowered cortisol

Oxytocin (the “love hormone”) plays a large part in our connection to animals. Oxytocin is the hormone that is released to help parents bond with their children, and when people fall in love. It helps us feel good and allows us to feel emotionally secure, content, and happy. Oxytocin also increases in humans when we spend time with animals; we naturally feel better when they are around.

At Nourish Farms, we have several animals (co-therapists, as we call them), including a herd of Nigerian Dwarf Goats, two miniature donkeys, a dog, barn cats, and ducks. The barnyard is always expanding and new additions seem to show up over night!