Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
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SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- How Is Animal-Assisted Therapy Practiced?
- Lasting Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Find Rehabs That Offer Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Animal-Assisted Therapy Resources
Overview
Many alcohol and drug rehabs offer animal-assisted therapy as part of their menu of treatment services. The emotional connection, accountability, and unconditional love that animals offer make these bonds especially valuable during the treatment and long-term recovery process. These relationships can be leveraged to help those entering treatment and long-term recovery.
While not all facilities will offer an animal-assisted therapy component to their programming, you can also find referral options for post-treatment resources. The process helps to address some of the underlying mental health issues related to substance use disorder, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, and more.
How Is Animal-Assisted Therapy Practiced?
There are multiple types of animal-assisted therapy, some of which involve more engagement than others. One of the most common types of animal-assisted therapy is equine therapy. This involves contact with horses, which includes riding, feeding, or just being among them to foster emotional connection and accountability.
Bonding with dogs and cats can also release oxytocin and other hormones that trigger positive feelings and promote well-being. Birds and any other non-dangerous companion animal that can be conventionally kept as a pet are another type of animal used in this therapy technique.
The process of animal-assisted therapy is conducted by trained, experienced, and certified animal-assisted therapists who specialize in different types of animal relationships. Many facilities offer pet-friendly inpatient rehab to help patients continue to care for and bond with their pets. This can also have a ripple effect on other patients who benefit emotionally from having a companion animal around.
Lasting Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy
The benefits of animal-assisted therapy go beyond the immediate treatment paradigm. Patients can continue to work with animal-assisted therapists after they complete their treatment program. To find out if the facility you’re considering offers animal-assisted therapy, contact their admissions staff.
Find Rehabs That Offer Animal-Assisted Therapy
There are many drug rehab centers that offer Animal-Assisted Therapy in the United States. We have identified rehab centers and segmented them in our drug rehabs that offer Animal-Assisted Therapy category.
