ABSTRACT
Human beings domesticated animals thousands of years ago, and they have continued to be a non-judgmental support to people of all ages and in a variety of situations ever since. Animal-assisted therapy has developed with the use of horses and dogs in different settings to support those working to heal trauma and to improve anxiety and depression, along with helping incarcerated individuals regain a sense of connection to other sentient beings to reduce anger and hostility and decrease impulsivity while improving social skills and life skills. This chapter looks at the usefulness of animal-assisted therapy as a complementary treatment approach for integrated treatment of co-occurring disorders.
