Intimacy Issues Animal Assisted Therapy
Intimacy Issues
Intimacy issues are common for people who fear vulnerability. Some people can become vulnerable in front of a few trusted friends, however, but when a relationship starts becoming too close, they feel suffocated. In this sense, the intimacy issues are seated in the fear of developing a deep and meaningful relationship with another person.
Two fears that are at the heart of intimacy issues, are the fear of abandonment (fearing the partner might leave them) and the fear of engulfment (fearing that they would lose themselves in a relationship), which sometimes co-exist. These fears, often rooted in childhood traumas, are often deeply entrenched in codependent adult relationships where they cause friction.
A therapist who works with people who have intimacy issues will first help you to learn to become comfortable with yourself and accept yourself for who you are. You will explore the complex past events that have created these intimacy issues and discover that those events don't have to cloud your present experiences.
This process is essential in discovering that rejection does not have to be a traumatic experience. Finally, you will learn how to set personal boundaries that will help you to avoid the fear of engulfment and to cope, should abandonment occur. While healing intimacy issues can be a challenging and somewhat painful task, the rewards are incredible.
If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who addresses intimacy issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.
Animal Assisted Therapy
Animal-assisted therapy uses animals, and dogs in particular, to improve cognitive and emotional functioning. Animals help to build a report between the therapist and the patient, and can include domesticated pets and farm animals.
During the first stages of animal-assisted therapy, the therapist will assess the client's needs without animals present. The animal is only introduced once the therapist has developed a treatment plan.
The next stage involves a bond being developed between the client and the animal through motor skills. The animals are used to motivate the client, and to create positive interactions that can be translated into human interaction.
The therapist will monitor improvement and once a positive interaction is established between the client and the animal, the client is given independence in making choices for their partner in Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) therapy.
If you are looking for a counsellor who offers Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..
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