Animal-Assisted Therapy for Kids: What Parents Need to Know About Healing With Animals

Curious whether animal-assisted therapy is safe and effective for children? Discover neuroscience insights, practical guidelines, and what parents should know before exploring this healing path.

Making Connection Possible

Imagine your child walking into a therapy room, anxious or withdrawn, and instead of staring at the walls, they’re greeted by a gentle dog or a calm horse. Suddenly connection seems possible again. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is gaining traction as a complementary approach in child mental health. But what should parents know before investing hope, time, or money into this modality?

In this article, we’ll explore:

     — What animal-assisted therapy is (and is not)
     — The neuroscience behind why it can help children
    — Benefits, limitations, and safety precautions
    — How to assess whether it’s right for your child
     — Practical steps families can take to explore this path

Through warm, evidence-informed guidance, Embodied Wellness & Recovery hopes to clarify whether AAT could support your child’s healing journey, especially when traditional therapy feels stuck or overwhelming.

What Is Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)?

Animal-assisted therapy is a structured, goal-oriented therapeutic approach in which trained animals and handlers become part of the treatment team. Unlike emotional support animals or pets, these animals are purpose-trained and integrated into interventions designed to promote children’s emotional, behavioral, interpersonal, or physiological well-being. 

Forms of AAT may include:

     — Canine-assisted therapy — dogs visiting therapy rooms or schools
    — Equine-assisted therapy (EAT / equine-assisted psychotherapy) — gentle interactions with horses (grooming, leading, riding)
    — Small-animal therapy — rabbits, guinea pigs, or birds used especially for sensitive children
    — Farm or nature-based interventions — multi-species settings with structured tasks

AAT is best delivered by a licensed therapist who embeds animal interactions within a broader psychotherapeutic or developmental framework.

Why Might AAT Help Children?

1. Calming the nervous system

Touching or petting animals triggers biochemical responses, oxytocin increases, cortisol decreases, and serotonin and prolactin may rise. A UCLA program notes that the simple act of petting animals “releases an automatic relaxation response.” 

In a separate study, animal-assisted interaction was associated with lower cortisol levels and improved mood among participants, suggesting that animals can help shift a dysregulated stress response into a more regulated state. 

From neuroscience, we know that regulation (via the vagus nerve, the prefrontal cortex, and interoceptive pathways) forms the foundation for children to access emotional learning, social engagement, and therapeutic insight. If a child is stuck in a fight-or-flight state, talk therapy alone may not be enough. Animal interaction offers a physiologic “bridge” to regulation.

2. Enhancing therapy engagement and trust

One barrier in child therapy is resistance, emotional avoidance, or discomfort with introspection. Animals offer nonjudgmental presence, reducing relational anxiety and helping children feel safer. In a study of hospitalized children with brain injury, adding animal-assisted intervention significantly increased therapy engagement scores (affective and behavioral) compared to control sessions. 

3. Strengthening social, emotional, and prosocial skills

For children with developmental differences (e.g., autism spectrum disorders), AAT may boost prosocial behavior, social initiative, and communication skills. In a pilot study, animal therapy reduced stress behaviors and improved social engagement. 

Animal presence can shift focus outward (“I have a task to do with the dog”) rather than inward (rumination, shame), providing a relational scaffold for empathy, attunement, and reciprocity.

Questions Parents May Be Wrestling with:

      — Will it be safe? What about allergies, fear of animals, or zoonotic risk?
      — Is it evidence-based for my child’s issue (anxiety, trauma, ADHD, autism)?
      — What is the cost? Does insurance cover sessions?
      — How often and how long do sessions need to be to see a benefit?
      — What credentials should the animal, handler, and therapist hold?
      — Could it feel gimmicky or distract from core therapeutic work?

These are valid concerns. Let’s address them next with a balanced view.

Benefits, Limitations & Safety Considerations

Potential Benefits

      — Regulation support: helps calm overactivation and widen the windows of tolerance
       —  Emotional support and motivation: children may feel safer, more curious, and more willing to explore
      — Reduced anxiety or distress during therapy
      — Bridge into relational work: animal becomes relational anchor before human relationships
        — Nonverbal communication opportunities: beneficial for children who struggle with verbal and emotional expression

⚠️ Limitations & Risks

    — Not every child will respond or benefit equally; some have a fear of animals, phobias, or allergies.
    — Training and credentialing matters: animals must be therapy-certified, with handlers versed in risk mitigation.
    — Animals themselves need care, rest, and ethical oversight (the welfare of therapy animals is part of the moral framework).
    — In severe psychopathology (psychotic or self-harm states), AAT should be adjunctive, not standalone.

How to Evaluate If AAT Is Right for Your Child

Here’s a decision pathway for parents:

Step Consideration Action

Child readiness: Does your child tolerate closeness, touch, or novelty? Trial short, low-stakes sessions (e.g., petting therapy dog)

Therapist/provider vetting: Is the therapist licensed? Are animals certified?

Are hygiene protocols upheld? Ask for credentials, insurance compliance, and health protocols

Therapeutic alignment: Is AAT aligned with your child’s underlying needs:

trauma, regulation, attachment? Use AAT within a modality that works with nervous system repair

Incremental integration: Begin with low-intensity exposure, monitor the child’s

physiological and emotional responses Track outcomes with your therapist and adjust accordingly

Holistic support: Combine AAT with talk therapy, somatic techniques, Let the animal presence support, not replace, the core

and relational work psychotherapeutic goals

Steps Parents Can Take Today

     — Ask your child’s therapist: Have you worked with AAT? Do you have referrals?
     — Visit programs and observe sessions before committing
     — Share your child’s medical or allergy history ahead of time
    — Watch your child’s nonverbal signs of comfort or distress (body tension, facial expression)
    — Document changes across weeks (e.g., anxiety scale, mood chart)
    — Stay in attunement; animal sessions may stir grief, resistance, or unexpected emotions

Why This Approach Aligns With Embodied Wellness & Recovery

At Embodied Wellness & Recovery, we understand that healing for children is not only cognitive. We view trauma, nervous system repair, relationships, and even early roots of intimacy as woven from body, brain, and relational experience. AAT is one of many modalities we may integrate when it suits the child’s broader healing journey.

When used thoughtfully, AAT can:

     — Expand trust through physiological regulation
    — Support integration of emotional experience in a safe relational context
    — Serve as an “edge” into deeper relational work
    — Respect that children heal through play, body, and connection, not just words

We never replace core therapeutic grounding with novelty. Instead, we consider AAT when it can serve the trajectory toward regulation, relational safety, and resilience.

A Gentle Bridge from Overwhelm to Relational Safety and Regulation

Animal-assisted therapy for children is promising, compassionate, and fascinating. But it is not a panacea. When combined with sound clinical judgment, responsible ethical practice, and sensitivity to each child’s needs, AAT can offer a gentle bridge from overwhelm into relational safety, regulation, and emotional discovery.

As parents, your role is to be discerning, collaborative with clinical partners, and attuned to your child’s humanity. If you lean into what feels safe and genuine, you're paving a path of love, curiosity, and embodied healing.

May your child be met by paws, hearts, and therapy that invite them home to themselves.

Reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with our team of therapists, trauma specialists, somatic practitioners, or relationship experts, and begin guiding your child towards emotional safety, regulation, and connection today.

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

References

1) Arsovski, D. (2024). The role of animal-assisted therapy in rehabilitation. Integrative Medicine Journal.

2) Jalongo, M. R. (2022). Animal-assisted counseling for young children. Frontiers in Psychology / PMC. 

3)  Jennings, M. L., et al. (2021). Effect of animal-assisted interactions on activity and stress. ScienceDirect. 4) Kim, S. (2021). Neurological mechanisms of animal-assisted intervention. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 

Canine Connection: What If Your Dog Understands You Better Than You Think

Do you ever wish your dog could talk? Neuroscience and canine cognition research reveal that dogs may understand you more deeply than you realize. Explore how this cross-species bond can inspire healing and connection—and what it teaches us about trauma, relationships, and emotional intelligence.

Do You Ever Wish Your Dog Could Understand You?

Do you ever look into your dog’s eyes and think, “I just wish you could tell me what you’re feeling,” you’re not alone. So many of us yearn to communicate more clearly with our dogs, to know when they’re scared, to explain when we’ll be back, to say “thank you” or “I’m sorry” in ways they can understand.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we often hear clients say, “My dog understands me better than anyone.” And it’s not just sentimentality. Neuroscience is catching up to what dog lovers have long intuited: dogs are wired for connection, not just with other animals but with us.

Why Can’t My Dog Just Talk to Me?

This question reflects a deeper longing: the human need to feel seen, heard, and emotionally connected. For those of us healing from trauma or navigating mental health challenges, this longing can feel even more profound. In fact, many trauma survivors form their first true attachment bond with a pet.

But what if dogs are already communicating, just not in words?

The Genius of Dogs: Rethinking Intelligence

In The Genius of Dogs, evolutionary anthropologist Brian Hare and science writer Vanessa Woods reveal that canine intelligence isn’t about solving logic puzzles or building tools. It’s about something much more profound: reading humans.

1) Dogs Are Social Strategists

Dogs excel at social cognition. They outperform chimpanzees in tasks involving emotional attunement, gestures, and eye contact. In the famous “pointing test,” dogs quickly follow the direction of a human finger to locate hidden food. Chimps? Not so much. Dogs aren’t guessing; they’re watching, listening, feeling.

2) Co-Evolution: Why Dogs Understand Us

Over 30,000 years of co-evolution, dogs have become finely tuned to human emotional cues. Their survival depended on it. They can detect subtle shifts in our tone of voice, micro-expressions, and even the scent of stress hormones.

They don’t just sense how we feel; they respond. They self-regulate to our dysregulation, a phenomenon deeply relevant to polyvagal theory and nervous system co-regulation.

3) Not One Intelligence, but Many

Dog intelligence is multidimensional. Border collies may memorize hundreds of words. Labradors are experts in empathy. Terriers are problem-solvers. What unites them is this: their capacity for attunement and partnership.

Somatic Science: How Dogs Read Our Bodies

From a somatic therapy perspective, dogs don’t just read our words; they read our nervous systems.

Have you ever noticed your dog come closer when you’re anxious, or keep a distance when you’re shut down or irritable? They’re responding to nonverbal cues: changes in breath, tension, posture, or energy. This mirrors what happens in trauma-informed therapy, where body language and nervous system states often speak louder than words.

Dogs, in essence, are nervous system whisperers.

Why This Matters for Human Healing

Many of our clients at Embodied Wellness and Recovery form profound bonds with their dogs during trauma recovery. Dogs don’t judge. They don’t need explanations. They offer what the nervous system craves: attuned presence, reliable companionship, and unconditional regard.

In relationships, we often struggle with misattunement. We misread each other’s cues, leading to conflict or disconnection. Dogs teach us how to listen more deeply, not just with our ears, but with our whole bodies.

Practical Tips: Strengthen Your Somatic Bond with Your Dog

If you want to deepen your connection and feel more attuned to your dog (and yourself), here are a few trauma-informed practices:

🧘‍♀️ Practice Co-Regulated Breathing

Sit or lie down beside your dog. Match your breath to their rhythm. Slowing your own breath helps calm both of your nervous systems.

🐾 Narrate Emotional States

Use consistent language and gentle tone to describe your state: “I’m feeling a little sad today.” Dogs begin to associate your tone and body cues with certain emotions.

🌿 Engage in Sensory Grounding Together

Walks aren’t just physical exercise; they’re somatic experiences. Let your dog lead a sniff walk while you notice the sights, sounds, and sensations around you.

🧠 Be Curious, Not Controlling

Dogs thrive when we observe rather than correct. Try tracking your dog’s body language without judgment. What are they trying to communicate?

What Dogs Teach Us About Relationships

The bond between humans and dogs is one of the oldest examples of secure attachment, It's built on mutual trust, safety, and responsiveness. Just like in therapy or intimate relationships, dogs offer a model for:

     — Showing up without needing to fix
    — Listening beyond words
    — Regulating together, not alone

This is why many trauma survivors feel safer with dogs than people. Dogs don’t retraumatize. They stay consistent. They teach us what it means to be in safe, healing connection.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery

We understand that connection is a biological imperative, not a luxury. Whether it's with your partner, your therapist, or your dog, co-regulation is a powerful healing force. Our trauma-informed therapists help clients learn the language of the nervous system, how to recognize cues of safety, repair ruptures, and build relational attunement. And sometimes, your dog might be your first co-therapist.

Your Dog Gets You More Than You Know

Dogs don’t need words to understand us. They’ve evolved to read us through subtle gestures, emotional resonance, and embodied communication. What if instead of wishing they could talk, we leaned into the profound, wordless wisdom they already offer?

Sometimes the connection you’re craving is already curled up beside you.

If you’re ready to explore how to find safety in your body through connection and co-regulation, our team at Embodied Wellness and Recovery is here to walk alongside you. Contact us today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with our top-rated somatic practitioners, trauma specialists, or relationship experts. 

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

References

Hare, B., & Woods, V. (2013). The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think. Dutton.

Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

Schore, A. N. (2012). The Science of the Art of Psychotherapy. W. W. Norton & Company.