5 Ways Therapy with Animals Reduces Stress in Everyday Life
In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an all-too-familiar companion for many. Whether it’s the demands of work, school, relationships, or health, stress can take a serious toll on your emotional and physical well-being. Fortunately, an increasingly popular and evidence-based option—therapy with animals—offers a unique and effective path to emotional relief and healing.
At Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana (AACI), we’ve seen firsthand how therapy with animals can help individuals of all ages reduce stress and reconnect with joy. But what makes this approach so powerful? And how do its benefits extend beyond the therapy room?
Here are five real-life ways that therapy with animals helps reduce stress every day.
1. Therapy with Animals Calms the Nervous System
When you’re stressed, your body enters “fight or flight” mode—your heart rate increases, muscles tense, and your mind races. Research shows that interacting with therapy animals, especially dogs, triggers a relaxation response in the body.
Petting a dog, hearing them breathe, or even just sitting beside one during a session can lower cortisol levels, reduce blood pressure, and promote the release of oxytocin—a hormone linked to emotional bonding and stress relief.
At AACI, our therapy dog Sadie is trained to sense tension and offer a calming presence. Clients often say they feel relaxed before the session even begins, just by walking in and seeing her.
👉 Learn more about our animal-assisted counseling approach
2. Therapy with Animals Builds Emotional Awareness
Many clients come to counseling struggling to identify or express their feelings. Animals offer a non-judgmental mirror, helping clients connect to their inner emotional world.
For children and teens, therapy with animals is especially powerful—it provides a safe bridge for discussing difficult topics like anxiety, trauma, or grief. Adults also benefit, as animals often reflect the emotional energy in the room and help clients recognize patterns of stress or emotional suppression.
By learning to tune into their feelings during sessions, clients begin to recognize stress signals in daily life—and can take steps to manage them before they escalate.
3. It Encourages Mindfulness and Presence
Stress often stems from worries about the future or regrets about the past. One of the simplest tools for relief? Mindfulness. Animals live in the moment—and when you’re with them, you’re invited to do the same.
Whether it’s playing fetch, grooming a therapy dog, or just being still in their presence, therapy with animals pulls your attention into the here and now. Many clients report that this experience gives them practical tools to bring mindfulness into everyday routines—like pausing to breathe, walking with awareness, or connecting to a sense of calm before bedtime.
4. It Improves Social Connection and Communication
Isolation is a major driver of stress, especially among teens, trauma survivors, and those navigating grief. Therapy with animals helps create a sense of connection, not only with the animal but with the therapist and, eventually, with others in the client’s life.
Animals are great social facilitators—they break the ice, reduce fear of judgment, and offer emotional support during vulnerable conversations. This is especially helpful for clients with social anxiety or those who have had negative experiences in past relationships or therapy.
Clients often share that learning to communicate with the therapy animal gives them the courage to set boundaries, express needs, and build healthier relationships outside the therapy space.
5. Therapy with Animals Supports Long-Term Coping Skills
While the in-session experience with a therapy dog is valuable, the real magic happens when clients apply those insights in daily life. At AACI, we help clients translate their experiences with animals into practical coping strategies:
Deep breathing when feeling overwhelmed
Grounding using sensory memories from animal interactions
Practicing empathy and compassion toward themselves
Taking nature walks or engaging in pet care as a form of self-care
In other words, therapy with animals doesn’t end when the session does. It equips clients with tools to manage stress long after they leave the office.
🐾 Real Stories from Clients at AACI
One teenage client shared how therapy with Sadie, our St. Bernard therapy dog, helped her face school anxiety. Simply remembering how Sadie looked at her with calm eyes became her go-to grounding technique before tests.
Another adult client dealing with work burnout started incorporating five-minute “quiet time” with her own dog at home after experiencing the calming power of therapy with animals.
These everyday changes lead to real emotional transformation—and it all starts with one session.
Ready to Experience the Benefits of Therapy with Animals?
At Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana, we specialize in therapy that meets you where you are—combining expert mental health support with the healing presence of therapy animals. Whether you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, grief, or relationship challenges, our team is here to help.
We serve children, teens, and adults across Munster and Northwest Indiana.
📞 Schedule your first session today
Or call us at (219) 213-6009 to learn more about how therapy with animals can support your healing.