"Keep calm and breathe in - slowly" Animal therapy.

Was I tempting fate with the last blog?

http://emotionalgrowth.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-worst-managing-difficulties.html


I'm just recovering from one of those upset stomach episiodes, picked up from looking after a sick child in London. My son and partner were having one hell of a week at work and could have done without the whole family feeling poorly too. "At least it's not as bad as when you had mumps six years ago", I told my son. 


What a weird week. I think on reflection, it will be one of the more strange and varied in my life.  Other family stuff at the beginning, Olympic training in the middle and grannie duties at the end. Life isn't dull. Nor should it be. If my parent's lives are anything to go by, I still have another third to live.


I missed writing last week's blog and didn't really want to let another week go by without writing. Then a newspaper article leapt from The Observer this morning. That will do well, I thought. I'll let the newspaper do the talking.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/26/horses-therapists-stress-autism-addiction


If only these wonderful treatments with animals didn't cost so much money. A lottery win? I think I know what I would love to create with the money. A national therapeutic animal charity. I'm not even a huge animal lover, but I do fully understand the therapeutic benefits of owning or looking after a pet. They reach places that humans cannot.


Several colleagues who trained with me, use animals in their therapeutic practices. Particularly dogs and horses. They suggest that the dogs and horses have needs too, as do human beings. If the humans attend to their animal's needs, the moments of introspection are less. Anything that helps. Anything that helps that isn't medication is even better.


An observation from my practice. As emotional arousal isn't helpful to problem solving, relaxation is used to help the client reach a calmer state. The 7/11 breathing technique of seven slow deep breaths in and eleven out is a basis for teaching relaxation. (Personally I use 5/7) Whatever the count is, the out breathe must be longer than the in breathe. That is crucial for using the nervous system correctly.


Then I realised that stroking an animal or human being uses much the same breathing action. No wonder petting an animal is therapeutic. (So is cigarette smoking for the same breathing action, but certainly NOT to be recommended!)


I have a short relaxation exercise on Itunes.  It's FREE. Part of the Chasing Rainbows podcasts. No: 7 http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/chasing-rainbows/id252159492

©Ritaleaman2012