The Client’s Experience of Animal-Assisted Therapy

Abstract

his qualitative research study employed interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to better understand and explore the lived experience of clients during animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and what makes AAT an effective therapeutic intervention. In particular, the meaning clients assigned to the animals present was focused upon as a potential healing agent. The self-reporting of six clients was drawn from as data for the study. Herein AAT was defined as a targeted therapeutic intervention that includes an animal in the treatment process. Horses and dogs were focused upon. Participants were interviewed in a semi-structured manner concerning their experiences with AAT. These interviews were analyzed, yielding three overarching themes central to the effectiveness of AAT: nonverbal communication, unconditional acceptance, and enhanced presence. Findings of this study suggest that AAT holds tremendous healing power that some even regard as spiritual in nature; it offered participants a sense of meaning concerning themselves, the animal present, and even life itself. Data acquired from participants were analyzed according to the principles of depth psychology and existential thought in general and through the thinking of Nietzsche and Jung in particular.