Verónica Soler and the benefits of assisted therapy with dogs

In psychoactive we know the importance of people's well -being, which would not be possible without dedicated professionals to it. But psychology covers many topics and with it great and interesting professionals who with the very important help of animals achieve really excellent results.

We have the pleasure of interviewing Verónica Soler. Psychologist and expert in therapies within the field of interventions assisted with dogs at http: // psychologiakibel.com/

First of all Verónica thank you very much for your attention, it is for us a pleasure for me to interview you.

Thanks to you for thinking about me.

Since when are you a psychologist and because you decided to study psychology?

I finished the race in 2007, when choosing career I was not very clear, I made the decision in the middle of the second baccalaureate, I opted to study psychology because I like the deal with people, in addition, to know the ins and outs of the brain and The idea of ​​helping them feel better were very attractive aspects for me.

Not having been a psychologist. What do you think you would have dedicated?

My second option was to study tourism, the truth is that I am also passionate. But I feel better with the profession I chose first.

Where can we find you both physically and online?

Our website is Psychologykibel.com

Our Facebook https: // www.Facebook.com/Centropsicologiakibel

And in person we are in Rosario 6, 3 door plant 7. Albacete

We see when visiting your page that you work within the field of interventions assisted with dogs. Can you tell us what exactly?

Tucker (2004) defined dog -assisted intervention (IAP) as a therapeutic treatment modality in which the dog is an integral part of the process. Interventions are directed by a professional, social or educational field, which marks the specific objectives of the treatment. Its purpose is to promote the improvement in the physical, emotional and /or cognitive and social functioning of human beings. The present dog is part of the therapy sessions, and it is through this interaction, that the professional obtains information about the patient and idea subsequent activities to obtain results. This type of therapy can be done in a wide range of contexts and can be carried out in a group or individually. The process must be documented and evaluated by the professional.

For me something very important is to emphasize that the professionals who work with dogs do it within the scope of our profession, that is, it is necessary to have a health, social or educational training to exercise this work and in no case be an expert in dog therapy trained to make a profession other than mine. For example, when designing the intervention with a patient I will raise objectives of the scope of psychology but not objective that belong to the physiotherapeutic field for example for example. In the same way, a formation in dog therapy does not convert a person who is not a psychologist into it.

Another quite relevant part is that our work always entails a design, objectives and an evaluation. It happened to me that some people confuse my work with playing with a dog, and it is true that we play a lot, but it is not a simple game. The intervention is planned, we have a purpose and we know that a child motivated to learn will learn more quickly and more effectively.

Since when do you decide to dedicate yourself to these interventions and why?

I have always loved animals, in the last years of career I began to read about the possibility of incorporating animals to psychological intervention and I thought it was a great idea. The unconditional acceptance of a dog seems very valuable to me in a therapy and a very good way to accelerate the creation of the therapeutic bond. But the decision came a few years later when I had the opportunity to start forming and throwing myself into the pool.

What can this intervention help and what kind of people is directed?

Depending on the collective we find benefits or others, but in general dogs promote pleasant emotions, increase the motivation to treatment and facilitate the link with the human team

What kind of people normally go to your center?

In the center we work hard with children with different problems, which can range from difficulty when managing emotions to ADHD through high capacities or loss of loved ones.

We also move to other places for example we have a weekly program in a disability center and two programs we do in schools. I tell you a little the programs we do in schools:

One of them is a program where we collaborate with the Albacete Talitha Association and in it we seek to normalize the emotions that occur before losses.

The other is a program that exists internationally, is the R program.AND.TO.D. of dogs and letters of which I am coordinator in the province of Albacete. In this program aims to improve reading skills. This year we have also launched it in a residence of elders.

We see that Arya accounts with a co -lotheter dog, can you tell us something about her and since when she is your workmate?

Arya is a 7 -year -old mestizo bitch, is adopted comes from an unwanted litter. He is very active, he likes contact with people, he is very sociable. He likes to run and play. Apart from my partner is also my family's dog.

He has been with me since he was two months old, was chosen by a canine educator for his good character to work as a therapy bitch. Since he came home, his preparation began.

From two months to two years, he has been preparing to work as a bitch of therapy, attending class with a canine educator, getting used to the peculiarities of his work and learning to be an educated and happy dog. As you can see, it takes time to prepare a dog for this job.

What opinion do current laws deserve in animal protection?

Honestly, I think we have a lot to go and that I would like us to advance towards a society that really protects all animals and nature

What has an assisted intervention with dogs that makes it so special?

The dog is a very powerful motivation for our patients, it is shown that contact with a dog relieves stress and also offers unconditional acceptance. His interest in the people we work with is very real, dogs do not lie, so get them important. It often happens to me, for example, that the brothers of the children who come to therapy ask that when they have to stay with Arya.

Apart from this, they offer us contact with nature that contributes to maintaining emotional well -being.

Do you plan to expand your work fields or new training of another class?

I am a rather restless person at the professional level, I love learning new things, at this moment I am dedicating myself to consolidate knowledge, but I do not rule out incorporating new specialties later.

We see that you have intervened in well -known media, which is very interesting, but how do you see this topic? Should your type of work be promoted more?

The truth is that I am happy in this regard, when I started with my dog ​​therapy project, this specialty was looked at distrust but at present I find many people who choose and value my work precisely because of the specialization that I have. To this has contributed a lot that it is a job that usually interests the media.

What I would like is that the visibility of this work be promoted more professionally, giving relevance to the aspects that I used to comment that there is necessary that there are objectives in the treatment and that it is carried out by professionals. That is, anyone cannot do dog therapy, nor any dog.

What advice would you give to a person who wants to devote himself to being a psychologist to a job like yours?

That will be formed in dog -assisted interventions, and to choose good professionals for the selection and training of your therapy dog.

Well, thank you very much for your time and a huge kiss to Arya from me.