If you’re haunted by something horrific, every face you see looks like someone that might hurt you. After all, that person could become another source of immense pain – pain that feels insurmountable.
Trauma has a way of warping not just your very psyche, but the world around you. You might question the motives of the people who try to help you. Do they actually care? Will they judge you? Will they tell you you’re wrong for feeling the way you do?
That isn’t a concern with animals.
“I’ve seen kiddos bond with the animals at a time when they weren’t able to connect with a single person around them,” one of our caring staff said, referencing our animal therapy. “I’ve seen kiddos in crisis being soothed by interacting with the animals when nothing else could bring relief.”
Trauma and mental health conditions take a toll on everyone, but they can uproot teens, their growth disturbed by their negative experiences until they feel like they’re all they are. With 57% of adolescent girls feeling sad or hopeless in 2021, they’re a particularly vulnerable population. The more therapy options we have to help them, the better, especially when we consider the benefits of animal therapy for teen girls.
Animals don’t have ulterior motives. They’re full of unconditional love, and they have the power to break through walls and soothe fear in ways people don’t. They’re invaluable on the path to healing. Animal therapy is a core part of our work at Roots Renewal Ranch, and it’s effective. As our Director of Operations, Heather Gray, said, “It’s an extraordinary thing to see, and in my opinion, is a catalyst to their healing journey.”
What Is Animal Therapy? How Does It Work?
Animal therapy varies and can include dogs, horses, goats, birds, and any number of animals that provide additional support to the person in need. It can be used for physical health conditions, but is more commonly used to help with mental health.
The main purpose of animal therapy for mental health and trauma is to provide comfort and incite feelings of safety. For some people managing trauma, trusting the people around them is difficult. Animals can help restore that feeling of trust and safety in those who need it most.
Sometimes, animals will visit patients in hospitals, or traditional therapy sessions for a while. They’re accompanied by a handler, who is usually their owner, too. These animals are trained and tested to make sure working with them is safe and healing.
At Roots Renewal Ranch, our girls can spend time enjoying our farm animals’ company, and they also take care of them. Caring for others while managing depression and trauma can be difficult, but is hugely rewarding. It reminds girls to look outside themselves, and see the good they can do in the world even while facing immense challenges. Taking care of our animals is a great place to start.
What Animals Are Part of Roots Animal Therapy?
We have a lot of different animals on our ranch, giving girls plenty of chances to connect and feel the full benefits of animal therapy. Girls staying with us can find at least one animal they love.
A few members of our roster include Jeff the alpaca, Alfredo the donkey, Bubbles the sheep, Blue the dwarf goat, and Dolly the chocolate lab and Australian Shepherd mix. They’re all full of affection and inspire so much joy on our ranch, and are also proof of the depth of options in animal therapy.
The Benefits of Animal Therapy for Teen Girls: Words From Our Staff
“The animals present an opportunity for the girls to connect to something outside of their struggles. The animals give purpose, bring humor, and allow us to love deeply,” our clinical director Libby Dorn said about the animals we work with.
Animals can play a vital role in girls’ recovery. They’re comforting, and help girls relax, even if it’s just for a little while. They can also promote human connection. It’s much easier to ask someone questions about a goat than it is to open up about your deepest fears and largest struggles. Animals don’t judge, and no matter how scared a teen is or how much pain they’re in, they feel that.
“Spending time with animals is a safe, non-judgmental space,” Michelle Schwolert, the founder of Roots Renewal Ranch, shared. “Clients become connected to particular animals and feel a sense of responsibility to care for that animal while also learning that they have an additional responsibility to accept that they must care for animals they are not particularly fond of.”
Girls who take care of our animals learn how to be more responsible, and build their self-esteem as they surprise even themselves at what a good caretaker they are. They start believing that if they can take care of these animals, they might be able to take good care of themselves, too.
Is Animal Therapy Safe?
There are minimal risks with animal therapy, and they can be avoided as long as the animal handlers are responsible. There’s the occasional worry that therapy animals could bite or scratch people in therapy, but therapy animals go through extensive temperament testing and training to interact safely with people. Their handlers are trained on how to control them in stressful situations, too, ultimately making accidents highly unlikely.
One of the main concerns surrounding animal therapy comes when it’s utilized in hospitals or around people who are susceptible to infection. Thankfully, that isn’t as much of a concern with teens who are in therapy for trauma and mental health conditions, and are physically healthy. Animals are also regularly checked by vets to make sure they’re healthy and safe to interact with humans.
The Science Behind Animal Therapy’s Effectiveness
There’s more to animal therapy than stories from the people who work at Roots Renewal Ranch.
Science supports its effectiveness. Therapy with animals is so beneficial, partly due to the oxytocin that is naturally released when interacting with an animal.
Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a key role in how we interact with one another. It helps us build trust, recognize one another, and grow attached to one another. That’s part of what makes animals so easy to love! Low oxytocin levels are linked with depression, so when an animal causes that natural oxytocin release, you can’t help but feel a little better.
More research backs this up, too. A systematic review of studies on adolescents and animal therapy found many benefits. Three different studies focused on therapy dogs found a positive effect on trauma, and one study found significant improvements in adolescents’ ADHD symptoms.
A short-term study on canine therapy for veterans with PTSD indicated that the veterans in the study experienced joy more easily, and bonded with the animal’s handler as much as the dog. That’s a huge indicator of what we’ve seen at Roots: animals help girls relax in general and when it comes to communicating with others. Another study on horse therapy for veterans with PTSD showed an improvement in self-reported symptoms for 85% of the participants after six weeks of therapy.
One review focusing specifically on canine therapy for adolescents also turned up positive results, with adolescents’ psychological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms, decreasing overall. The adolescents also became more social in general.
Equine-assisted therapy also helped people with substance use disorders better regulate their emotions and boosted their self-esteem, according to more research.
A similar study backs up those findings and also indicates patients were in a better mood after therapy sessions.
While there’s already a lot of evidence that animal therapy helps, there’s still a lot scientists don’t know and are still discovering. One thing is for sure, though: alongside traditional therapy, animal therapy can be a huge asset.
Finding Animal Therapy for Girls in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area
Between anecdotal evidence and the science that backs it up, we can’t say enough about the benefits of animal therapy.
Maybe a member of the Roots team said it best: “There’s no other smile at Roots like the smile a client gets from seeing, caring for, holding, and spending time with one of the Roots’ animals.” We’re lucky to be able to see those smiles every day.
If you know a teen girl who could benefit from our animal therapy, we’re here to help. At Roots Renewal Ranch, we offer treatment for teen girls with mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and trauma. Our program extends far beyond our animal therapy, and focuses on fostering comprehensive healing. We want every girl in our care to know that she is strong, she is loved, and she is enough. Call us at 888-399-0489 for more information.
