April 18th, 2020
By Catherine Robertson Souter
A cat who knows when someone is distressed. A rabbit who bonds with clients more than its owner. A dog who nudges a child who is panicking during a neuropsychological evaluation. This is the world of the pet co-therapist. From dogs to cats, rabbits, birds, and more, a wide range of animals are being used in offices, on college campus counseling centers, and in grade school settings as part of solution-focused therapy. Imagine walking into a therapist’s office to be greeted by a wagging tail or a ball of fur waiting for you to give her a lap to snuggle [More]
Tags: counseling, communication skills, touch, cat therapy, animals for therapy, physicality, healing, lower blood pressure
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November 8th, 2018
By Catherine Robertson Souter
With the public testimony and accusations around sexual assault in the national spotlight in recent months, there has been increased attention paid to how these reports may be triggering psychological responses in the general public. Reportedly, reading about or hearing testimony from Christine Ford Blasey, Ph.D, a professor of clinical psychology at Palo Alto University and a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, has led women and men around the country to experience their own emotional and physiological responses. Ford testified about her accusations of sexual assault perpetrated during their teen years by Judge Brett Kavanaugh. It [More]
Tags: PTSD, Brett Kavanaugh, traumatic situation, triggers, Christine Ford Blasey, Psychological triggers, sensory input, smell, touch, sound, exposure therapy, avoidance
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