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Chance is a great addition to the therapeutic experience. He greets clients as they arrive, may sit at your feet, or sleep on his bed during session. He sometimes comforts clients when they're sad and helps ease the anxiety of coming for a therapy session. Studies have found that petting an animal decreases blood pressure as well as anxiety.
Chance has been especially helpful in making children and teens feel at ease. In therapy with children, we sometimes use Chance to talk about how to interact with others and explore what projections a child may have about what Chance thinks and feels. Many of my teenage clients get right down on the floor and spend the whole session talking while snuggling with Chance. He provides enough distraction to make it easier to talk about difficult issues, but not too much that it gets in the way of our work together. My adult clients also enjoy having Chance with them during session. Sometimes he'll sit next to one of the partners in a couple during couples therapy to provide support, or some clients like to have his support, sitting on the floor, with his head in their lap while they process trauma using EMDR. Whether its a quick hello, or a comfort during therapy, Chance is a nice addition making it easier for many to talk. |
Not all clients enjoy dogs, so after saying a quick hello, if you're not interested in having Chance spend time with you, he'll go to his dog bed and spent the rest of the session napping. Also, although I check over the phone to make sure there are no issues with allergies or dog phobias before I take on a new client, some clients have mild allergies that touching a dog would trigger. If this is the case, Chance will stay on his bed the whole session so as not to trigger any allergic reactions.
To make an appointment for an assessment and/or discuss recommendations for treatment, call (415) 686-9544 or email [email protected] I have offices in San Francisco and Corte Madera and provide phone and/or web sessions for clients who can not come to the office.
To make an appointment for an assessment and/or discuss recommendations for treatment, call (415) 686-9544 or email [email protected] I have offices in San Francisco and Corte Madera and provide phone and/or web sessions for clients who can not come to the office.