[SeptemberRain]

My T usually has her dog with her (she's a cute, small dog). She's pretty timid but will lick me when I first arrive. Then she'll usually just lie down under my T's chair and not really move much of the session.

Last week, I became a bit upset. I've never cried with this T but have been close a few times. This time, I was trying to hold back tears and all of a sudden, her dog got up and came to me. She started licking my hand and then my toes. I thought this was so cute! It made me relax more and temporarily took away my sadness (which I realize may be bad if I ever get to the point where I actually want to stay sad and cry).

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has a story like this where their T's dog comforted them? Or maybe other experiences with dogs in therapy? I thought it was so incredible how attuned the dog was. She wasn't even looking at me when I was upset; she looked like she was sleeping. Are most dogs in therapy that attuned? Animals are so amazing.

Yes! My therapist noticed that I did much better with my dog around (he was in my car initially and I introduced her to him because she's an animal lover), so she invited him to be part of my sessions and even made a bed for him. It made all the difference in the world.

[stopdog]

I refuse to see the therapist if her dog is there.
I like dogs. I love my own dogs, but I do not want the therapist's pet at my appointments.
And, although I do not cry in front of therapists, the woman did tell me that when clients cried - her dog would go over and lick them which would stop the crying. She made it sound like she used her dog to stop people from crying.

[SeptemberRain]

yeah, I think that could be a problem if it stifles people from expressing themselves. Interesting... I wonder what the dog would do if the person just kept crying and disregarded the dog's attempt to stop them from crying. I actually see this T for my ED and have another one I see every week too. The other one doesn't have a dog and I've cried with her. If I didn't have this other T, I might be more annoyed the further I get into T. I don't know...I would think it would be frustrating to feel like I couldn't cry because the dog kind of stopped me. For me, it was nice though because I'm ok with not crying with my ED T. We usually work on specific things. Anyway, thanks for your input!!

[nottrustin]

T has her dog at her home office. She tells every client that if the dog bothers her she will put him in the house and shut the door. She knows I adore her dog and we have a great relationship. The dog will come greet me when I arrive and sit on the couch for a few minutes which helps me to relax. Then either the dog will sit down next to me or will go on his way. The door to the house is usually left open (in the therapy room) so the dog may go in the house. Frequently he will come back out and visit me. I haven't noticed if it happens at stressful times or not.

[guilloche]

I'd love a dog in therapy, although honesty, it might be too much of a distraction for me. I'd be tempted to spend more time with the dog, and less time paying attention to the therapist...

And... yeah, it would be great to have the comfort of a pup when you're upset, but I worry a tiny bit that it would mess up the therapy, somehow? Like, by making you feel better in the moment, stop you from feeling what you need to to fully process the old emotional stuff?

Edit: And, nope, none of the Ts I've seen have ever had any pets in their office. I had a singing teacher once though whose dog would come and go from lessons from time to time! I didn't really interact much with the dog though... the singing took up 110% of my brain!

[(JD)]

Not a T's dog... but MY service dog... they are wonderful, aren't they?

[JaneTennison1]

T has a cat that likes to try and get in the room. She doesn't usually let the cat in as I get distracted but sometimes at the end of a hard session she'll let the cat in for 5 mins to calm me down.

My Ts dog cuddles with me because he lives at my house now. T had to move away for a few years and didnt want to give him to anyone so i am his temporary mom until she comes home. He is a big spoiled baby and i know she is the one who did that to him I just love him though, he is my best friend. Whenever t does come home, we have agreed to have shared custody of the dog

[ThisWayOut]

I am definitely morw relaxed with a dog in the therapy room. One former T would occasionally hav her dog there. She also let me bring my dogs one time. I found it was easier for me to get vulnerable with the dogs around, like they would keep me safe... but that's been my relationship with dogs all my life, so it kinda makes sense.

[msxyz]

I would not like that.

I love dogs and have one myself, but I would find the therapist's dog distracting and interrupting in such, and possibly other, situations.

I brought my dog twice when we was a puppy, that was just or fun, as in meet my new puppy.