Have you ever wondered why animal therapy is so popular? Surely if you have pets, you know how comforting they can be. But what is it about our animals that brings this sense of comfort?

Connection

Human beings need connection. One of our biggest social determinants of health is isolation. Our pets help us feel connected to something greater than ourselves. They provide meaningful companionship.

Mindfulness

A large part of practicing mindfulness is staying in the moment. Mindfulness can be incredibly challenging for many of us. Animals never struggle to stay in the moment. Have you ever seen a cat worry about what they did last night? Or a dog worry about what he is going to do tomorrow? Of course not. Our animals force us to stay present.

Grounding

Speaking of being in the moment, we can use grounding techniques to bring us back to where we are. This can be especially challenging when anxiety hits. One easy way to use grounding is to pet our pets. Seriously. Spend a few moments stroking your pet and focusing on the sensation. This helps to bring us back to where we are.

Animals do so much for us and our mental health. These are just a few examples of how they're able to do so.