Wellness Wednesday: Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana
When life feels overwhelming, nervous system regulation with therapy dogs can be a powerful tool to restore calm. Your nervous system can get stuck in “survival mode,” leaving you anxious, tense, or disconnected. The good news? You can bring it back to balance—and you don’t have to do it alone.
At Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana, our therapy dogs are more than cute companions—they’re co-regulators in healing.
🐾 How Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs Works
Dogs offer a unique kind of emotional co-regulation. Their steady presence and calm energy support our nervous systems in grounding and slowing down.
👣 How to Practice Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs at Home
Dogs offer a unique kind of emotional co-regulation. Their steady presence and calm energy support our nervous systems in grounding and slowing down.
🧘♂️ Breathing Techniques for Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs
Sit beside your dog and sync your breathing with theirs. Let their slow, natural rhythm guide your own breath. This can help shift your nervous system into a more relaxed state.
✋ Grounding Exercises for Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs
Touch is powerful. Rest your hand on your dog or run your fingers through their fur. Focusing on texture and warmth draws you back into your body and the present moment.
💤 Resting Practices for Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs
Notice how your dog naps without guilt or pressure. Mirror their behavior—take 5 minutes to stretch, lie down, or simply be. Modeling calm helps teach your body safety.
🧠 The Science Behind Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs
When you’re around a calm, nonjudgmental therapy animal, your body responds physically. Research from the NIH shows that interacting with dogs can lower cortisol (the stress hormone), reduce heart rate, and increase oxytocin—also known as the “bonding hormone” (Harvard Health). These physiological responses help move your nervous system from a hyper-alert state to one of calm.
Spending just 10–15 minutes with a therapy dog can shift your brain activity from high-stress beta waves to more relaxed alpha waves. This is why therapy dogs are so effective for people dealing with anxiety, trauma, or chronic stress. They help retrain the body to recognize safety through connection.
👣 How to Practice Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs at Home
Even if you’re not in a therapy session, your dog can still help regulate your nervous system. Try incorporating your pet into daily wellness routines:
Morning grounding: Sit quietly with your dog, feet on the floor, hand on their back, and take a few slow breaths.
Walk-and-breathe: During walks, focus on each step and the rhythm of your dog’s movements. Let it guide you into the present.
Evening unwind: Before bed, lie quietly beside your dog, practicing progressive muscle relaxation.
These practices can become rituals that signal your body to relax, restore, and feel supported.
🤝 The Role of Therapy in Regulation
While dogs offer powerful support, nervous system regulation often requires guidance—especially if you’re recovering from trauma or living with anxiety. Working with a trained therapist can help you better understand your stress responses and build tailored regulation strategies.
At AACI, therapy dogs are woven into your healing journey. Whether you’re working on emotional expression, boundary setting, or nervous system regulation, our team is here to walk beside you—four paws and all.
💭 Final Thoughts on Nervous System Regulation with Therapy Dogs
Healing doesn’t always require words. Sometimes, it begins with presence—of breath, of body, of another being beside you. Nervous system regulation with therapy dogs isn’t just a technique—it’s a relationship, a rhythm, a return to self. Whether it’s one paw at a time or one breath at a time, you deserve to feel grounded and supported.
If you’re ready to begin that journey, we’re here for you at Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana.
