title: Use of animal-assisted therapy in the rehabilitation of an assault victim with a concurrent mood disorder.
abstract: Multidisciplinary mental health rehabilitation settings often encounter patients with complex comorbid medical and psychiatric issues that require integrative, multifaceted treatment strategies. Although medication and psychotherapy are typical treatment mainstays, a broader variety of therapeutic options are available, including animal-assisted therapy. Here we describe a patient who received animal-assisted therapy as a psychiatric rehabilitation tool to ameliorate his atypical depression following an assault and subsequent head injury. A review of the relevant literature highlights the therapeutic potential of animal-assisted therapy to restore and maintain patient independence and level of functioning, both of which are key treatment goals.
authors.affiliation: Medical Psychiatry Service, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sockalingam
authors.forename: Madeline
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Upasana
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Krishnadev
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Kayli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balaban
authors.forename: Laura R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Pacione
authors.forename: Shree
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhalerao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000523:psychology*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D004285:Dogs / Q000523:psychology*; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents