Cal State Fullerton’s Wellness Center offers a variety of resources and services for students. One of those resources, Doggy Therapy, is offered by the Counseling & Psychology Services. Their first event this semester will be hosted on Monday from 2-4 pm at Pollak Library north wing.
Dog therapy has a wide variety of health benefits for college students, with the main one being stress reduction. Jessica Leone-Aldrich, a CSUF student counselor and the coordinator for bringing animal-assisted therapy on campus, explained what to expect during Doggy Therapy.
Relieve Stress
Attending a dog therapy session can relieve stress if a test, presentation or big project is coming up.
“When we give attention to a dog, we are focused only on what’s happening right now at this very moment. So it allows ourselves to have a little bit of a mental break from what we may be stressing over.”Leone-Aldrich said.
According to Animal-Assisted Therapy: Best Practices for College Counseling, written by Julia F. Kronholz, Vanessa F. Freeman, and Randi C. Mackintosh, bringing animal-assisted therapy programs to college campuses reduces the stigma around counseling and mental health services among college students while also heightening the attendance for their services. Therefore it’s incredibly beneficial for college students’ mental health and general well-being.
Practice Mindfulness
Taking time to breathe and relax is important for college students when a million things run through their minds.
According to mindfulness.org, mindfulness is bringing awareness to what is directly being experienced through your senses and state of mind.
Mindfulness is an easy stress reliever that can be done at any moment with the right practice. In dog therapy the five senses that are interacting with a dog purposely focus your attention on the dog and that present moment. An easy way to practice mindfulness is simply taking the time to pause and breath while taking note of your surroundings.
“An important aspect of mindfulness is that it can help us feel more grounded and more relaxed when we are engaging in all of our five senses, and petting a dog is a really great way to engage in that,” Leone-Aldrich said.
Make a Connection
A group is placed in a circle, and the therapy dog is in the middle and chooses who to approach. In this circle, students surround each other and have a chance to get out of their bubbles and talk with other people. CSUF is a large commuter school, and this event is an opportunity for students to socialize during their time on campus. Students can start talking and getting to know each other while petting the dogs.
Student Wellness Center’s Services
The Wellness Center is divided into three major centers: CAPS, Health Services and TitanWell.
CAPS offers counseling and psychological services to students, and its online student wellness page provides hotlines and a form to make an appointment with a counselor. For free, students can also benefit from the wellness room. Massage chairs, napping pods and even yoga are available for use. The location is on the 3rd floor of Titan Hall, open from Mon-Fri from 11 am to 4 pm.
Health Services is responsible for the healthcare of students on campus. Students are encouraged to stop by and converse with their healthcare providers about appropriate testing, medication and effective prevention techniques and strategies. Their website answers questions on eligibility, fees, services and a form to make an appointment.
TitanWell is in charge of promoting healthy choices and behavior among students. They also sponsor programs and organize presentations and events to speak on dating violence, suicide prevention, stalking, domestic violence, and gender-based violence.
“Doggy Therapy” is expected to be coming back once a month for the spring 2023 semester.
