Heroes and horses-Helping veterans find meaning and purpose

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an increasingly popular intervention to engage clients across a variety of contexts. Animals have been observed to facilitate a safe space and provide unconditional support, allowing individuals to feel less anxious and more confident (Hill et al., 2020; London et al., 2020). Examples include positive outcomes in the integration of therapy dogs with children on the autism spectrum (Hill et al., 2020) and in a residential facility for individuals with dementia (Kårefjärd & Nordgen, 2019). In a novel occupational therapy program integrating guinea pigs into treatment with clients with acquired brain injury, results included elevated engagement, increased communication, and higher levels of client satisfaction (Hediger et al., 2019). Horses also serve as useful adjuncts to interventions through modalities such as equine-assisted therapy (EAT) or hippotherapy, based on their potential to connect with humans and sense subtle changes in behaviors and moods (Burton et al., 2019).