Sometimes the best therapy is provided by animals

Even experienced psychotherapists sometimes find it difficult to help someone suffering from depression. But imagine how a patient can open up when he sees a playful puppy curling up at his feet and calling to play with his big, happy eyes.

But not only dogs are used these days as helpers in therapy: horses, guinea pigs, turtles and numerous other animals also help.

"Animal-assisted therapies can be very successful, especially in the treatment of depression," said Dr. Arno Deister, head of the department of psychosocial medicine at the hospital in Itzehoe, Germany and president of the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN).

"Depressed people, for example, sometimes have a hard time establishing contact and building trust with their therapist," says Deister. The animal can then be effective in 'breaking the ice', acting as an intermediary between them, he added. Of course, assuming that both the patient and the therapist have positive experiences with the species in question.

A key factor in the positive effect of animals lies in the fact that people know how to be critical and prone to prejudice. "Animals accept people as they are, with all their weaknesses," Deister.

Animals are not only used in therapies but also in improving life in institutions for people with special needs or disabilities.

They serve to raise the quality of their life through motivation, education or recreation and raise their self-confidence, reports Hina.