A dog named Buddy is helping mental health patients feel comfortable and motivated to go to therapy sessions in northwest London.
Buddy, a two-year old cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle, has been helping patients to relax in therapy sessions at NCWL Park Royal Mental Health Hospital over the last three months.
Activity co-ordinator Megan Howes told London Live about Buddy: “He loves people and getting attention, which makes him perfect for this.
“We’ve got a very wide range of patients with different difficulties here. Often we see illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, anxiety, personality disorders.
“We have about an hour with the dog in quite an unstructured group.
“The patients usually just spend some time stroking the dog, playing with him, giving him treats, and just engaging with each other as well.”
Occupational therapist Jessica Lashko said: “We’ve had some positive changes in terms of engaging patients – we’ve had lots of patients that haven’t wanted to join us in other groups that have been really keen to meet Buddy.
“It raises motivation for people – maybe people who haven’t left their bedrooms very much, or maybe have been a bit isolated, will suddenly want to come out and meet Buddy.
“It’s some common ground we can talk to them about, build up a relationship around, and remind them of home a little bit as well.
“It’s just proven so beneficial here – it’d just be lovely for every hospital to have pets as therapy dogs.”
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