Taking Dog To Therapy

[Jen12]

I have a 'medical alert' dog who is trained for my physical health problems. I never normally take him to therapy sessions i leave him at home.
In my last session i completely dissociated and my therapist tried several things to bring me back without success. She even admitted that she was rather worried, and after 750hrs of EMDR sessions that was the worst she'd had a patient dissociate.
We spoke this through and she suggested several things that might help if it happened again. And also siggestions for at the end of sessions to try and ground me before i drive home. One suggestion was a walk outside, i tend to want to get home as soon as the sessions done to my home woth my dog where i feel safe. I suggested id leave my dog in the car during the session and afterwords he'd ground me before i drove home.
She then said well why dont you bring him in?! Ohhhh i was over the moon!! My dog is my world, and always always grounds me during a flashback and dissociated states. He just knows as weird as it sounds! If im picking at my hands or hurting myself he'll lay on my arms or jump at them to pull them away from my faceor body. If in laid on the floor shaking and not breathing properly he'll lay by my head and put his head on my face.

My T asked her manager if it was ok to have him in the session and she agreed. Im not as scared now for my next EMDR session as i know my dog will be with me!

Does anyone else take their dog to Therapy with them?

 

[Socha]

I take my dog with me to therapy too. He's not a trained emotianal support dog but he recognizes when I'm not feeling well - usually before I do. He helps me a lot with life in general not only in therapy. :happy:

Edit: to take him with me was also my T's idea. She insisted I get him out of the car where I left him to wait for me and bring him in on our first session. I also had my old dog sit with me when I was in therapy the last time.

 

[Rumors]

My dog needs therapy!!! I have a crazy mix breed that needs some serious help! Lol.

 

[Jen12]

I take my dog with me in therapy too. He's not a trained emotianal support dog but he recognizes when I'm...

Your dog sounds amazing =) he sounds very much like my dog. Mine is medical alert trained but not emotionally trained. But when im dristressed he'll do what ever he can to help me.
Im sure you'll agree a dog is (wo)mans bestfriend =) xx

 

[Jen12]

My dog needs therapy!!! I have a crazy mix breed that needs some serious help! Lol.

Hahahaha!! Reading this made me laugh =P lol xx

 

[Panda Bear]

There is a man who sees a different T in the office I go to, he has a trained service dog as well. Whom I can only assume is because of a condition that isn't physically evident. The dog is with him every week, and it's fantastic! I love that he is there with him and that it isn't an issue.

It's a great idea that your dog assist you!

 

[TXbandit]

How awesome!!! What a great T! I wish I could take one of my dogs when I start back. They are not support or medical dogs. I think it would help me stay grounded. I'm not in therapy now but am going to start looking for another T soon. They help me ground at home or help calm me down when I am upset. I use to dissociate bad during and after CBT sessions. I may ask my next T if we can make it happen.

 

[Jen12]

There is a man who sees a different T in the office I go to, he has a trained service dog as well. W...

Awww how lovely! I cant even explain how much my dog helps me physically and mentally, id literally be lost without him and housebound.

Its so nice when people/ places accept that your dog is a necessary part of your life and needs to be with you. Many shops wont let my dog in as theyve never heard of 'medical alert dogs' only dogs for the blind.
Im over the moon and feel much safer that he can come into therapy sessikns. I think its a big relief for my therapist too after the session she struggled to ground me.

 

[Jen12]

How awesome!!! What a great T! I wish I could take one of my dogs when I start back. They are not suppo...

My therapist is absolutly amazing, she is so so good at the job she does! Im very very lucky!
I would definatly ask your new therapist about bringing your dog in, and explain how they help you groun during times when your having flash backs and dissociating. Im sure if it makes the therapists job easier to ground you, they'll ok it for your dog to attend the sessions with you =)
Ill keep my fingers crossed for you xx

 

[TXbandit]

Thank you xx :)

 

[Jen12]

Thank you xx :)

Your very welcome

 

[Kintsugi]

I take my beagle mix to therapy with me almost every session. She prevents me from driving recklessly when I'm extremely emotional and helps keep me present. She has a special toy my T keeps in her office; it's very sweet. She kept trying to nab the stuffed animals my T uses for young patients, so before I come, the stuffed animals go up, and the dog toy is set on the floor.

My beagle usually sleeps through 90% of the session, but it helps to have her there, and my T always makes a cheeky comment at the end of the sessions about how much progress Annie is making in therapy. ;) It helps ameliorate that end-of-session :hungover: vibe--brings some puppy-flavored levity to the gravity of what we've discussed.