Donkeys Enter Psychotherapy: A French Experiment That Draws Attention

SadaNews - In an experience that may seem strange at first glance, donkeys have become part of a therapeutic program implemented in a psychiatric hospital near the French capital, Paris, where doctors and nurses use them to help patients cope with anxiety, depression, and social isolation.

According to a report by the "Associated Press", the "Ville Évrard" hospital in the town of Neuilly-sur-Marne, east of Paris, has a unique therapeutic unit in France that relies on what is known as "animal-assisted therapy", specifically using donkeys.

In one of the sessions, patients walk with the donkeys, care for them, and clean them, while some encounters end with hugs between the patients and the animals that have become part of their daily lives within the hospital.

Natalie, a 60-year-old patient, says these sessions give her a sense of comfort and help her forget the pressures and issues that occupy her mind. She added: "When I'm with the donkey, I stop thinking about everything else."

From an Old Farm to a Therapeutic Center

The program is located in agricultural buildings dating back to the 19th century amidst green spaces and dense trees, providing a tranquil environment that contrasts with traditional hospital atmospheres.

The initiative began in 2016, led by Ermelinda Hadi, a psychiatric nurse, and her husband François, who received specialized training to prepare the donkeys for this type of therapeutic work.

Donkeys were specifically chosen due to their calm nature and their ability to engage socially with humans. François says, "The donkey is very smart, but it needs to be handled gently and patiently. It is also close to people and absorbs their emotions, hence it interacts uniquely with the patients."

Benefits Beyond Entertainment

Hospital staff assert that the goal is not limited to entertainment but includes improving social communication, boosting self-confidence, and organizing emotions among patients suffering from various mental disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, autism, and anxiety.

Nurse Audrey Sivar points out that some patients make significant progress within a short time. She cites Natalie, who refused to leave her mobility cart but gradually began walking and standing beside the donkey that accompanies her during the sessions.

Another patient named Jérôme, 52, says the program helped him overcome his feelings of loneliness, adding, "Participating in activities I never did before makes my daily life better and breaks the routine of treatment and medication."

Calls for Wider Scientific Recognition

Since 2022, the program has received official status as a healthcare unit within the hospital, allowing the hiring of three full-time nurses to work in it. The project has also expanded to include other animals such as rabbits, turtles, goats, chickens, pigeons, and guinea pigs, with sessions designed to meet each patient's needs.

Despite the positive results reported by patients and hospital staff, project organizers emphasize that animal therapy cannot replace doctors or medication but represents a supportive and complementary means to traditional treatment.

The program's management seeks to conduct further scientific studies to systematically demonstrate its benefits, hoping that this type of therapy will gain broader recognition within the medical and psychological communities in France and beyond.

At the end of one of the sessions, one nurse summarized the experience with a humorous phrase saying, "Donkeys are my best work colleagues."