- The history of animal mediation :
In his book, Beiger (2014) looks back at the history of this discipline. Tuke in the 18th century conducted an experiment with people who have trouble disorder. He had the idea of giving rabbits and poultry to the patients by imposing daily care on them. He later reported that caring for the animals allowed people to acquire a certain responsibility. He also found that it reduced the psychological disorder they were in. Levinson, who makes his interview with his dog, found that his patients talked more in the dog’s presence. He therefore developed a theory: “Pet-oriented Child Psychotherapy”. During his research, he found that the presence of an animal stimulated the motor, sensory and social aspects of child development.
- My experience with animal mediation :
My first experience with animal mediation was an equitherapy workshop during one of my internships. The workshop was set up with two patients. The first one, Mr. L, suffered from schizophrenia. The second, Ms. ER, had behavioral problems. The first time I met them, Mr. L did not speak, he seemed very tense and had trembling movements in his leg and arm. Ms. ER looked sad. They did not speak spontaneously and only gave very short answers to questions.
Once in contact with the horses, ER’s face lit up and she made a big smile. As I passed the brushes to clean the horse, I noticed that she had entered herself in exchange with the nurse. After, she spoke to me without my asking. She even ended up laughing and joking with me. L didn’t talk but he smiled as well. He seemed less tense and his shaking had stopped. He was very focused on what he was doing and very attentive to what the supervisor could tell him.
According to Beiger (2016), the animal can help the patient become an independent person. Indeed, L has taken a lot of initiative. For example, he harnessed the horse himself. He is proud to show off his abilities and knowledge and smiles more when the instructor congratulates him. Beiger (2014) in his book explains that the animal allows people to unveil themselves and take control of their impulses.
Then, we went for a walk. L walks alone in the back with the horse he was given. I could hear him talking to it, giving it directions, making remarks. In this situation, we can see that the horse allows L to produce spontaneous speech.
The smiles of both patients persisted until we left the equestrian center. In the minibus, Mr. L resumed his tremors and ER shut down.
- But then, why do animals have such positive effects on us? Arguments of Beiger (2014 ; 2016) and Bélair (2017).
– The animal can help people to find a certain balance in their psychic and intellectual functioning. For example, it will take on a protective role in relation to the patient’s problems and anxieties.
– The animal will also bring back a smile and a good mood to the patients since they will find in its presence a complicity that they may no more have with other people.
– The notion of anthropomorphism can also explain the fact that the animal has the capacity to become a real projection support on which the human being projects his feelings, his moods, his anxieties. It then becomes, as Beiger (2016) says, the mirror of our intimate emotions.
– The animal has no judgment behavior. Bélair (2017) therefore explains that the patient does not feel constantly evaluated in its presence.
– Communication with the animal has the particularity of being non-verbal. It calls for intimacy and sensoriality: communication is done through the look, the touch, the body.
– The animal can play an integral role in the child’s attachment because of its reassuring side.
So, in conclusions, WE ALL NEEDS ANIMALS IN OUR LIFE.
- Bibliography :
Beiger, F. (2016). L’enfant et la médiation animale, une nouvelle approche par la zoothérapie (2e éd.). Paris, France : Dunod.
Beiger, F. (2014). Eduquer avec les animaux, la zoothérapie au service des jeunes en difficulté. Paris, France : Dunod.
Bélair, S. (2017). La médiation animale ou la clinique du lien. L’école des parents, sup. au 623(5), 101-131.
- Vocabulary I have learned :
Poultry : volaille
Harness : harnacher
Intimacy : intimité