What is called dolphin therapy, who is useful, contraindications. How it is applied, treatment results. Dolphin therapy is one of the types of pet therapy (contact with pets), when communication with dolphins has a positive effect on the human psyche. A kind of psychotherapy, it is used in combination with other methods of treatment as a way of medical and psychological recovery after stressful, other situations.
What kind of creatures are dolphins?
Since ancient times, people have noticed that dolphins, living in almost all the seas of the world, are very peculiar creatures. Quite peaceful in relation to people. The myth of Orion has been known since the time of Ancient Greece. When he was returning home from Italy, the sailors, looking for money, decided to kill him. Before his death, the poet asked permission to sing, and then jumped into the sea. The dolphin, attracted by the singing, rescued the singer and carried him ashore.
Such cases are not uncommon these days, on the Internet you can find videos of how dolphins save people from sharks. In the last century, research on these mysterious creatures began in the United States, the Soviet Union and other countries. According to the scientific classification, they belong to carnivorous mammals from the order of cetaceans.
In an adult, the brain weighs 1700 grams, while in humans it is within 1400. The brain convolutions are twice as large as in humans. Dolphins have their own "vocabulary" - they communicate using sounds. They have the beginnings of self-awareness that allows them to show empathy. This explains their desire to save a helpless, drowning person.
Interesting! Since humanity has realized that communication with dolphins is beneficial, specialists have developed special programs that substantiated the methods of psychological correction of personality in the treatment of dolphin therapy.
What is dolphin therapy?
It has long been noticed that domestic animals have a beneficial effect on the psyche of people - cats, dogs, or, for example, aquarium fish. For example, a specially trained dog can help a diabetic patient identify low blood sugar levels.
In Western European psychotherapeutic practice, pet therapy is called pet therapy. In Russia, such unconventional medicine is called zootherapy (animal therapy). Dolphin therapy is a variation of this therapy.
It is used in dolphinariums, special pools and aqua parks, where various breeds of dolphins are kept, up to the impressive killer whales. Performances of trained animals during enchanting water shows bring great pleasure to adults and children.
However, these peaceful mammals can not only entertain, they can help humans recover from serious diseases. For the first time, dolphins were used for this purpose in the United States. In the USSR, they were skeptical about this, in Russia only recently dolphin therapy has become widespread.
The International Institute of Dolphin Therapy (Evpatoria) has developed a special program called "Method of treatment with ultrasound therapy using controlled radiation of dolphin sonar". Psychotherapy of this method of cure is based on the positive effect of ultrasound from the dolphin on the patient's body.
The course of dolphin therapy can be different, depending on the purpose of the treatment. After a thorough examination of the patient, this is decided by the doctor. Sometimes, in order to smooth out the negative manifestation of the disease and get a lasting positive effect, several preventive sessions of 30 minutes each may well be enough. In more serious cases, up to 10 "conversations" with an intelligent animal are necessary.
"Dolphin therapy" can be individual, when, for example, a child under the supervision of a trainer, psychologist and veterinarian communicates independently with a trained dolphin. Parents may be present.
However, the course of treatment can be group, for example, when a group of adults or children swims and communicates with dolphins under supervision, or family, if the family is individually engaged in a specific program.
Dolphin therapy sessions can have a positive impact on the course of many serious diseases, including hereditary ones. For example, for children with Down syndrome, when, as a result of a genetic malfunction, a child is born unhealthy, with abnormalities in mental and physical development.
Interacting with dolphins is good for your well-being. Physical activity in seawater associated with the performance of special exercises, the calls that dolphins emit in the ultrasonic range, a strong psychological effect from communicating with large intelligent animals - all this has a positive effect on the body.
It's important to know! Communication with our smaller brothers, and dolphins are such, this communication with the origins of our existence - with nature. And this is so lacking for a city dweller.
Indications for dolphin therapy in children and adults
The indications for dolphin therapy are a number of diseases in adults and children. There are practically no age restrictions. Is that for babies, for them it is allowed from 6 months. After communicating with smart animals, kids and mature people get rid of stress, improve performance, attention and memory, and improve their mood.
Indications for dolphin therapy for children
Dolphin therapy is especially indicative for children. The pool, sea water, big good-natured dolphins, communication with them - all this leaves an unforgettable impression, has a beneficial effect on the psyche of the child.
The benefits of dolphin therapy for little ones are undoubted in the case of such diseases:
- Early (childhood) autism … Associated with disorders in the development of the brain. Usually appears at age 3 years. When a child is uncommunicative, withdrawn, constantly counting objects, for example, pencils on the table, this is already a sign of illness. With autism, dolphin therapy is just the method that will help the child's social adaptation. Cheerful fiddling with big "fish" will help get rid of tacit concentration, the child will become more open and sociable.
- Moronity … Mild mental retardation when the IQ is at least 50 percent. Dolphin therapy sessions have a positive effect on children with this level of intelligence. They become calmer and more balanced, not angry in communication.
- Certain genetic diseases … Let's say Down syndrome. With this rare disease, the child becomes helpless, the lack of communication often causes aggression in him. Communication with dolphins helps such children to perceive the world correctly, to realize that there are many good colors in it, and not only everything is gloomy and sad.
- Mental disorders … This refers to mental retardation (PDD). It manifests itself in inadequate attention, disorder of thinking, memory, emotions and volitional qualities (perseverance, determination, endurance). For children with such mental problems, a course of dolphin therapy is simply necessary. As a result of sessions under the supervision of a trainer and a doctor, negative mental processes are corrected up to their complete disappearance.
- Poor speech … When a child is silent until two years old, it is difficult to pronounce individual phrases, and by the age of three he does not know how to speak coherently. This is a sign of delayed speech development. It is necessary to talk with him as much as possible, teach him to talk. Dolphin therapy in this case is simply irreplaceable. The child happily, involuntarily communicates with an affectionate and big "fish", babbling something to her. And this is just necessary for the development of his vocabulary.
- Agitation … If the child has an unstable, easily excitable nervous system. Sea baths in combination with dolphin therapy have a beneficial effect on such children. Excitation processes in the cerebral cortex are inhibited, the body comes to a balanced state.
- Stuttering … Communication with animals in the dolphinarium, playing with them and talking have a beneficial effect on the speech apparatus. Sometimes a few sessions of "dolphin therapy" are enough for such a speech defect to go away forever. In severe cases, prolonged water therapy is required.
It's important to know! For children with mental disabilities, the course of dolphin therapy helps to correct their behavior and emotions. This has a positive effect on well-being and contributes to the social adaptation of the child.
Indications for dolphin therapy for adults
Dolphin therapy for adults is indicative of a number of mental illnesses, but not only. General fatigue, constant frustration, when a person is on the "nerves", stressful situations respond well to treatment in the dolphinarium.
The benefits for adults from communication with dolphins can be with the following diseases:
- Depressive state … When anxiety, bad mood is constantly felt, and the patient cannot explain the reason for it plainly. In this case, fun communication with sea animals will help improve your mood, feel the colors of life.
- Central nervous system (CNS) disorder … It can be, for example, vegetative-vascular dystonia, when the work of the heart is disturbed, blood pressure is low, constant drowsiness. A set of exercises in an aqua park or dolphinarium with trained dolphins will help to relieve all these symptoms.
- Stress … Due to discrepancies, for example, at work or after serious injuries, a person is in a stressful situation, life is seen in a black light. The course of treatment in the dolphinarium, carefree communication under the supervision of specialists with marine animals will help to get out of this state.
- Neurotic disorder (neurosis) … It is characterized by a temporary disorder of mental and physical performance, obsession, hysteria. All these manifestations can be easily corrected in the dolphinarium. With a sufficient number of treatment sessions, they completely disappear.
- Hyperactivity … When the nervous system is unbalanced, as a result, a person responds inadequately to any stimulus, for example, a remark, and becomes agitated, which affects the behavior that becomes aggressive. For such people, dolphin therapy is a way to help put their nerves in order, calm down, and not get nervous over trifles.
- Severe psychological trauma … It can be obtained during an accident, natural accident, military action, fight. Or, let's say a woman has been abused. The psyche is traumatized, bad thoughts do not give rest. Dolphin therapy sessions will help restore mental health.
It's important to know! Dolphin therapy is an unconventional psychotherapeutic practice. However, you should not treat her with skepticism. There is no harm from it, but the benefits are undeniable.
Contraindications to dolphin therapy
The benefits of dolphin therapy are undeniable. However, not all ailments are cured by it. It is unacceptable for various cancers. People suffering from severe mental disorders, for example, when there is persistent personality degradation, should not visit the dolphinarium. Running diseases of internal organs and skin (it may be lichen) are also not subject to "dolphin therapy".
Animals often get sick, they can catch a "human" sore, for example, salmonellosis. Before choosing a dolphinarium, you need to familiarize yourself with its activities: is there an official permission to conduct psychotherapy sessions, what is the reputation of the institution, how visitors respond about the water in the pool, the state and behavior of dolphins.
The main methods of dolphin therapy
Dolphin therapy is a whole arsenal of exercises that collectively affect the body. The main method of treatment is to communicate with dolphins under the supervision of a trainer and doctor. Swimming in seawater, playing and interacting with an animal bring a lot of joyful emotions. A powerful charge of adrenaline is released into the bloodstream, which has a beneficial effect on health and improves mood. And there is no exception - whether they are adults or children.
Consider the method of water psychotherapy using the example of treating a child with a corrective mental illness, for example, Down's syndrome:
- First stage (preliminary) … Children are introduced to the image of a sea animal. To do this, parents need to buy toys and pictures with his image. Coloring the drawings, the child gets acquainted with an extraordinary creature, the parents talk about his good disposition and love for a person. The psychologist shows a video film where dolphins take part in a bright colorful show, tries to involve the little patient in an imaginary game with a big outlandish "fish", to tune in to a wave of benevolent attitude towards it.
- Second stage (beginning of contact) … The child is brought to the dolphinarium. The doctor shows him the dolphins, suggests playing with them - throwing, say, a ball into the water. The animal delivers it back, the child rejoices, benevolent communication is established on a subconscious level. The psychologist invites the kid to lower his feet into the water, a "fish" frolics around them. At the command of the coach, she gradually narrows the circles and fleetingly touches her legs. There is a tactile contact, which does not frighten the boy (girl) at all, but gives pleasure.
- Stage three (communication) … The child is no longer afraid of contact, learns to greet the dolphin, to express his emotions when he appears. The games continue, the child, with the help of a trainer, carefully plunges into the water and is next to the "fish", touches it, tries to talk and swim with it.
- Stage four (lasting emotional contact) … When alertness and fear completely disappear and complete trust appears. The kid splashes carelessly and plays with the dolphin, talks to him and enjoys communication. At the end of the session, she learns to say goodbye to her new friend.
- Fifth stage (final) … Playing with a dolphin, emotional and tactile contact goes without complications. The psychotherapist begins to implement his conceived program. For example, it teaches a child to concentrate, without being distracted by extraneous noises, to perform the tasks assigned to him.
It's important to know! Dolphins emit ultrasound, it has a beneficial effect on the psyche of children and adults at the cellular level.
Dolphin therapy results
People who have undergone such an unconventional treatment are quite aware of the results of dolphin therapy. However, you need to understand that the main thing is drug therapy, which consists in taking medications prescribed by a doctor and undergoing the necessary procedures. And if there is an opportunity to visit the dolphinarium, it will only improve the recovery prognosis and make it more successful.
Dolphin therapy is useful for all categories of the population, from toddlers to the elderly, and there is no difference - it is a boy or a girl, a man or a woman. The main thing is that there are no contraindications for "dolphin therapy".
For children with various mental or somatic disabilities, playing with dolphins is fun, they do not realize the importance of such a vivid communication with sea animals. But the result of dolphin therapy is extremely important for them. Some sores can go away forever, in more serious cases there is a lasting improvement in health.
For adults, treatment at the dolphinarium helps to get rid of nervous disorders and borderline mental states, when, for example, the same annoying thoughts are spinning in the head or insomnia is tormenting. Positive results are achieved in the treatment of stresses arising from accidents or various severe conflicts, for example, on domestic grounds.
It's important to know! Dolphin therapy is not just a fashionable procedure. It is not a panacea for all ailments, but it serves as an essential aid in the treatment and prevention of many serious diseases. What is dolphin therapy - watch the video:
There is an opinion that all living things came out of the water. The genealogy of humanity is there - in the ocean. And the return to its prehistoric origins is communication with the most ancient representatives of the aquatic world, dolphins. They feel their kinship with a person, that's why they treat people so kindly. This must be understood and appreciated. Animals help us get rid of their sores, we must respond to them with our caring attitude towards them.
