Therapy dogs have become popular over the years. There are a number of benefits of therapy dogs that can help people deal with difficult emotions like grief, anxiety, and teen depression. Not only are therapy dogs cute and cuddly, but they also provide physical, emotional, and social support. They are used widely across healthcare services to comfort patients with serious medical conditions.
This article aims to highlight the benefits of therapy dogs for teen mental health treatment. It will explore various emotional, physical, and social benefits of man’s best friend. If you are considering getting a therapy dog for your teen, contact Nexus Teen Academy today. We will guide you on our comprehensive treatment approach and answer any questions that you may have about the benefits of therapy dogs.
Main Benefits of Therapy Dogs
There are numerous key benefits of therapy dogs that can help improve emotional, physical, and social health. These include the following:
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Since time immemorial, we have known that interacting with animals can reduce stress. Studies conducted from the 1970s to 1990s have shown that petting or holding animals can reduce stress, pain, and anxiety. Other studies have suggested that we can feel relaxed and calm even without touching animals. Thus, the mere presence of an animal can reduce stress.
Our anxiety and stress are reduced because petting dogs lowers the amount of cortisol in our bodies. It also stimulates the release of oxytocin, which elevates our mood and makes us bond with others.
Therapy dogs help reduce anxiety by offering companionship. Anxious teens tend to worry about how others perceive them. Therapy dogs are nonjudgmental and offer teens comfort when they feel anxious. Instead of being nervous or worried, teens can be their authentic selves around therapy dogs. These benefits of therapy dogs make them a great choice for teen anxiety treatment.
Supporting Trauma and Grief Recovery
Therapy dogs can support teens experiencing grief, loss, or trauma. According to a study, 84% of patients with PTSD reported improved symptoms after receiving their first service/therapy dog. Another 40% of participants also reported using less medication to manage their symptoms as their dogs were a source of comfort.
The power of therapy dogs cannot be understated. They offer companionship when we are at our lowest and give us a purpose to continue living. Therapy dogs provide comfort, joy, and companionship. These benefits make them a good option for teen PTSD treatment.
Lowering Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
Therapy dogs can also reduce our blood pressure. Studies conducted to investigate the effect of pets on blood pressure have shown positive results. One study demonstrated that people who adopted dogs had lower systolic blood pressure in the face of stressful events. Participants with dogs moved from 120 to 126 systolic BP, while those without pets moved from 120 to 148. This demonstrates the power that therapy dogs have on our physical health.
Another benefit of therapy dogs is that they can help reduce our heart rates by inducing relaxation. The physical act of petting a dog has meditative properties that help us feel calm. In this state, our heart rates decline, and our breathing slows.
Encouraging Physical Activity
Like other dogs, therapy dogs require extensive exercise. They need to be taken for walks or played with. Many teens live a sedentary lifestyle because they find traditional exercise methods boring. Playing fetch with a dog is much more fun compared to jogging. As a result, therapy dogs help increase our physical activity.
Promoting Social Interaction
Dogs encourage us to be more sociable. For example, dogs are a natural conversation starter. Many people may want to pet your dog or ask what breed they are. These questions encourage positive interactions since we get to talk about our favorite pets. Therapy dogs can be very beneficial for teens with social anxiety, autism, and other developmental conditions. They encourage people to approach us and start a conversation.
Additionally, therapy dogs encourage social interactions by offering companionship. Loneliness can cause us to become more socially isolated and withdrawn. When we have a therapy dog, it encourages us to seek out meaningful connections with others.
Building Confidence in Children and Teens
Dogs are judgmental creatures. They offer companionship for teens who have trouble expressing themselves. For example, teens with autism may struggle to express themselves during conversation. However, with a dog, they feel safe to express themselves. Reading therapy dogs can also help teens with learning disabilities and autism become more confident. They encourage teens to practice verbal and non-verbal communication since they are non-judgmental. Effective communication skills can boost a teen’s confidence and self-worth.
Since therapy dogs are a big responsibility, they teach teens to be more responsible and independent. These skills are something to be proud of and can boost a teen’s confidence.
Teen Mental Health Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is a premier mental health treatment facility in Arizona that offers therapy dogs during treatment. While we don’t have therapy dogs at the facility, we work with third-party providers and bring them in on a regular basis.
Our comprehensive treatment for teens combines evidence-based and holistic approaches to ensure thorough mental health treatment. We offer animal-assisted therapy for teens with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
For more information, contact us today or visit our website. We will be happy to guide you on animal-assisted therapy and matters relating to therapy dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the main purpose of a therapy dog?
The main purpose of a therapy dog is to provide companionship, comfort, and support for people with mental health and physical conditions.
How do therapy dogs differ from service dogs?
Therapy dogs differ from service dogs in several ways. Therapy dogs are trained to be affectionate towards people receiving treatment for various physical and mental health conditions. On the other hand, service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks for their owners. Examples of service dogs include seeing dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for people who are hard of hearing.
Can any dog become a therapy dog?
No, not all dogs can be therapy dogs. Therapy dogs need to be affectionate, friendly, and gentle. They also need to be certified by organizations such as the American Kennel Club.
Are there specific breeds best suited for therapy work?
Some breeds suited to be therapy dogs include the following:
Key Benefits of Therapy Dogs and How They Help
Published By nexus_admin
Published On March 18, 2025
Table of Contents
Therapy dogs have become popular over the years. There are a number of benefits of therapy dogs that can help people deal with difficult emotions like grief, anxiety, and teen depression. Not only are therapy dogs cute and cuddly, but they also provide physical, emotional, and social support. They are used widely across healthcare services to comfort patients with serious medical conditions.
This article aims to highlight the benefits of therapy dogs for teen mental health treatment. It will explore various emotional, physical, and social benefits of man’s best friend. If you are considering getting a therapy dog for your teen, contact Nexus Teen Academy today. We will guide you on our comprehensive treatment approach and answer any questions that you may have about the benefits of therapy dogs.
Main Benefits of Therapy Dogs
There are numerous key benefits of therapy dogs that can help improve emotional, physical, and social health. These include the following:
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Since time immemorial, we have known that interacting with animals can reduce stress. Studies conducted from the 1970s to 1990s have shown that petting or holding animals can reduce stress, pain, and anxiety. Other studies have suggested that we can feel relaxed and calm even without touching animals. Thus, the mere presence of an animal can reduce stress.
Our anxiety and stress are reduced because petting dogs lowers the amount of cortisol in our bodies. It also stimulates the release of oxytocin, which elevates our mood and makes us bond with others.
Therapy dogs help reduce anxiety by offering companionship. Anxious teens tend to worry about how others perceive them. Therapy dogs are nonjudgmental and offer teens comfort when they feel anxious. Instead of being nervous or worried, teens can be their authentic selves around therapy dogs. These benefits of therapy dogs make them a great choice for teen anxiety treatment.
Supporting Trauma and Grief Recovery
Therapy dogs can support teens experiencing grief, loss, or trauma. According to a study, 84% of patients with PTSD reported improved symptoms after receiving their first service/therapy dog. Another 40% of participants also reported using less medication to manage their symptoms as their dogs were a source of comfort.
The power of therapy dogs cannot be understated. They offer companionship when we are at our lowest and give us a purpose to continue living. Therapy dogs provide comfort, joy, and companionship. These benefits make them a good option for teen PTSD treatment.
Lowering Blood Pressure and Heart Rate
Therapy dogs can also reduce our blood pressure. Studies conducted to investigate the effect of pets on blood pressure have shown positive results. One study demonstrated that people who adopted dogs had lower systolic blood pressure in the face of stressful events. Participants with dogs moved from 120 to 126 systolic BP, while those without pets moved from 120 to 148. This demonstrates the power that therapy dogs have on our physical health.
Another benefit of therapy dogs is that they can help reduce our heart rates by inducing relaxation. The physical act of petting a dog has meditative properties that help us feel calm. In this state, our heart rates decline, and our breathing slows.
Encouraging Physical Activity
Like other dogs, therapy dogs require extensive exercise. They need to be taken for walks or played with. Many teens live a sedentary lifestyle because they find traditional exercise methods boring. Playing fetch with a dog is much more fun compared to jogging. As a result, therapy dogs help increase our physical activity.
Promoting Social Interaction
Dogs encourage us to be more sociable. For example, dogs are a natural conversation starter. Many people may want to pet your dog or ask what breed they are. These questions encourage positive interactions since we get to talk about our favorite pets. Therapy dogs can be very beneficial for teens with social anxiety, autism, and other developmental conditions. They encourage people to approach us and start a conversation.
Additionally, therapy dogs encourage social interactions by offering companionship. Loneliness can cause us to become more socially isolated and withdrawn. When we have a therapy dog, it encourages us to seek out meaningful connections with others.
Building Confidence in Children and Teens
Dogs are judgmental creatures. They offer companionship for teens who have trouble expressing themselves. For example, teens with autism may struggle to express themselves during conversation. However, with a dog, they feel safe to express themselves. Reading therapy dogs can also help teens with learning disabilities and autism become more confident. They encourage teens to practice verbal and non-verbal communication since they are non-judgmental. Effective communication skills can boost a teen’s confidence and self-worth.
Since therapy dogs are a big responsibility, they teach teens to be more responsible and independent. These skills are something to be proud of and can boost a teen’s confidence.
Teen Mental Health Treatment at Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy is a premier mental health treatment facility in Arizona that offers therapy dogs during treatment. While we don’t have therapy dogs at the facility, we work with third-party providers and bring them in on a regular basis.
Our comprehensive treatment for teens combines evidence-based and holistic approaches to ensure thorough mental health treatment. We offer animal-assisted therapy for teens with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
For more information, contact us today or visit our website. We will be happy to guide you on animal-assisted therapy and matters relating to therapy dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The main purpose of a therapy dog is to provide companionship, comfort, and support for people with mental health and physical conditions.
Therapy dogs differ from service dogs in several ways. Therapy dogs are trained to be affectionate towards people receiving treatment for various physical and mental health conditions. On the other hand, service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks for their owners. Examples of service dogs include seeing dogs for the blind and hearing dogs for people who are hard of hearing.
No, not all dogs can be therapy dogs. Therapy dogs need to be affectionate, friendly, and gentle. They also need to be certified by organizations such as the American Kennel Club.
Some breeds suited to be therapy dogs include the following: