How Different Types of Pets Affect Clients in Various Counseling Environments

Abstract

Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) has become a complementary approach in mental health care, gaining increasing attention for its ability to significantly improve mental health issues. Among them, animal-assisted therapy, a new and emerging therapeutic approach, is gradually gaining prominence in the field of mental health and has won widespread attention and recognition for its unique appeal. This article will delve into the essence, mechanism of action, practical examples, and the profound impact of AAT on mental health. The effectiveness of a counseling environment is greatly affected by the type of animal used and the treatment setting. This article provides a systematic review of the differential effects of different types of pets (e.g., dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits) on clients in individual and group counseling settings. Mental health counseling studies related to AAT were selected for this study through a literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases. This article aims to gain insight into how to use more appropriate pet types and treatment environments in clinical practice. Future research should continue to explore the specific effects of different pets and treatment environments to promote better clinical application of AAT further.