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An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond
Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2021.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2022
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| _version_ | 1867613687005577216 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Bester, Suzanne |
| author_browse | Bester, Suzanne |
| author_facet | Bester, Suzanne |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2021. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/83799 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:05.686Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/83799 An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond Bester, Suzanne scholtzsune@gmail.com Schurink, Willem Scholtz, Suné Animal-assisted therapy Animal-assisted play therapy Attachment theory Therapeutic bond Play therapy Auto-ethnography UCTD Education theses SDG-03 Education theses SDG-04 Education theses SDG-10 Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2021. The purpose of this analytical auto-ethnography was to analyse and describe my lived experiences as an educational psychologist of the role my therapy dog played in establishing a bond between me and children in play therapy. The study adopted a qualitative research design philosophically rooted in hermeneutic phenomenology. Data were generated from my observations, recollections, introspections, and reflections on play therapy. The study revealed that a therapy dog can assist a play therapist by creating an environment where child clients feel comfortable and unconditionally accepted. Such a dog can also act as an “ice breaker” by promoting conversation and communication between the therapist and child clients, creating a climate of trust and safety. A dog’s naturally playful nature facilitates playfulness in therapy. My observations in the current study led me to conclude that a therapy dog can fulfil the functions of an attachment figure when a play therapist works through the dog to achieve proximity maintenance and provide a safe haven and a secure base. Based on my findings, I was able to create a conceptual framework that links theory with how I work with my therapy dog to foster bonds with child clients. The conceptual framework has five theoretical constructs, namely play and playfulness, creating a holding environment, affect mirroring, mentalising and reflective functioning, and nonverbal communication and body experience. These constructs are operationalised through strategies and techniques that demonstrate to scholars and professionals how to establish bonds with child clients during animal-assisted play therapy. es2026 Educational Psychology PhD (Educational Psychology) Unrestricted SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-04: Quality education SDG-10: Reduced inequalities 2022-02-11T08:12:39Z 2022-02-11T08:12:39Z 2022-04 2021 Thesis * A2022 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83799 en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Animal-assisted therapy Animal-assisted play therapy Attachment theory Therapeutic bond Play therapy Auto-ethnography UCTD Education theses SDG-03 Education theses SDG-04 Education theses SDG-10 An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| title | An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| title_full | An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| title_fullStr | An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| title_full_unstemmed | An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| title_short | An auto-ethnography of a therapy dog’s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| title_sort | auto ethnography of a therapy dog s role in establishing a therapeutic bond |
| topic | Animal-assisted therapy Animal-assisted play therapy Attachment theory Therapeutic bond Play therapy Auto-ethnography UCTD Education theses SDG-03 Education theses SDG-04 Education theses SDG-10 |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83799 |