As many of us with pets know, animals can be a powerful source of comfort, support, care, connection, and healing; merely looking into your pet’s eyes and seeing nothing but purity, joy, and love is enough to make your worries vanish in an instant. If you’ve ever felt calmer after petting a dog or happier in the presence of an animal, you’re not the only one!
You may be wondering, if pets are so therapeutic, what’s the difference between simply owning a pet and engaging in clinical AAT? The truth is, there’s a meaningful difference between these two forms of animal interaction and understanding that difference can help you decide what’s most supportive for your healing journey.
Whether you’re navigating anxiety, trauma, depression, or the challenges of identity and belonging, animal-based therapies can offer unique, evidence-backed benefits. Let’s explore the distinctions, similarities, and how these approaches may fit into your mental health care.
What Is Pet Therapy?
Pet therapy, sometimes called informal animal companionship, involves spending time with a beloved pet for emotional comfort. This could look like:
- Cuddling your cat when you’re feeling low
- Taking a walk with your dog after a stressful workday
- Visiting a friend’s pet to feel a sense of companionship
There’s no therapist or structured intervention involved—just you and an animal forming a soothing bond. Many individuals, especially those struggling with their mental health, find that their pets are the only place where they feel safe being fully themselves; pets don’t discriminate, judge, or impart emotional harm—that sense of unconditional love can be incredibly grounding and therapeutic in itself.
Key benefit: Pet therapy offers emotional regulation through connection, routine, and unconditional acceptance in an accessible manner.
What Is Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)?
Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), on the other hand, is a structured therapeutic approach that integrates trained animals (often therapy dogs) into counseling or treatment sessions. This is done by a licensed mental health professional and often has specific goals such as improving emotional regulation, reducing stress and anxiety amid distressing sessions discussing trauma, developing social and behavioral skills, and much more.
At Darby Integrative Counseling, Otto makes appearances in sessions to support clients with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and grief. Otto serves as a co-regulator and a therapeutic bridge, especially when verbal expression is hard, allowing for a deeper connection between clients and their therapist.
Examples of AAT goals:
- Helping LGBTQIA+ clients feel more emotionally safe in a session
- Assisting trauma survivors in building secure, safe attachments
- Supporting children and adults with anxiety disorders to stay regulated in session
Fun fact: According to the American Psychological Association, AAT has been shown to reduce cortisol levels and boost oxytocin, especially in trauma survivors.
Core Differences at a Glance:
| Pet Therapy | Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Home or informal | Clinical or therapeutic setting |
| Animal | Personal pet | Trained therapy animal |
| Supervision | None | Guided by licensed therapist |
| Goal | Comfort, connection | Treatment-focused, outcome-driven |
| Evidence base | Anecdotal | Supported by clinical research |
Who Can Benefit from Animal-Assisted Therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy isn’t just for children—it can meaningfully support a wide range of individuals, including:
- Young professionals navigating burnout, anxiety, or disconnection
- Middle-aged adults feeling emotionally stuck or dealing with depression
- LGBTQIA+ clients looking for spaces that feel safe, non-judgmental, and unconditionally affirming
- Trauma survivors who find human connection difficult or triggering
Therapy animals can make spaces feel more human, especially when words don’t come easy. Divulging your most intimate or traumatic thoughts is daunting; opening to a stranger, such as a therapist who you’ve just begun seeing, is daunting; allowing your brain to delve into painful experiences and memories is daunting. Therapy is daunting. But imagine sitting in a therapy session with a warm, gentle dog resting beside you. You feel less alone, more settled, and peaceful. Something about the dog’s unconditionally calm and loving presence makes it feel safe for your body to finally start to relax—and in that moment, the healing begins.If you’re exploring therapy and feel drawn to the idea of animal-assisted healing—or you just want a space where all parts of you are welcome—we’d love to connect you with our Certified Animal Assisted Intervention Specialist, Diana Jordan. Schedule a free consultation and let’s see how we can work together to support your journey!