2016 APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show. Explorations of Trauma and Recovery in Dogs with Fear Aggression

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Dulcie Barrett
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Fear Aggression Joseph Lancia Clinical Associate

1 2016 APDT Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show Explorations of Trauma and Recovery in Dogs with Fear Aggression Joseph Lancia Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry University of Rochester Medical Center

2 Seminar Overview Model for understanding relationship between human and canines Exploration of trauma and fear reactivity from a neuroanatomical, psychological and behavioral perspective Treatment components including considerations of both the dog and trainer

3 For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted with the extension of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings, they are other nations caught with ourselves in the net of life and time. Jans 2014

4 Ken Wilber s Four Quadrant Model of Consciousness I Individual Individual and subjective A subjective truth: my story Interior and intentional Genuine direct experience Immediate interior experience We Cultural Collective and interior A intersubjective truth: our story A space of shared cultural contexts Collective story It Behavioral Individual An objective truth Exterior How individual events look from the outside Its Social Collective and exterior The objective truth about the group How the group looks from the outside Social system- how the group lives together How group behaves and communicates

5 Ken Wilber s Four Quadrant Model of Consciousness I Individual Individual and subjective A subjective truth: my story Interior and intentional Genuine direct experience Immediate interior experience

6 Ken Wilber s Four Quadrant Model of Consciousness It Behavioral Individual and objective An objective truth Exterior How individual events look from the outside

7 Ken Wilber s Four Quadrant Model of Consciousness We Cultural Collective and interior An intersubjective truth: our story A space of shared cultural contexts Collective story

8 Ken Wilber's Four Quadrant Model of Consciousness Its Social Collective and exterior The objective truth about the group How the group looks from the outside Social system- how the group lives together How group behaves and communicates

9 The Present Moment Present moment: small momentary events that make up our world of experience Basic building blocks for relationships These moments enter awareness and are shared between dog and trainer These lived experiences make up the key moments of change in relationships Stern, 2004

10 Relevant Features of the Present Moment It is partially unpredictable as it unfolds During the lived present moment the individual creates their own lived story Different present moments have different importance Stern, 2004

11 Elements in Composing a Lived Story Narrative format: structure without language for mentally organizing experiences (designed to build emotional and cognitive meanings around intentions) Lived stories: experiences that are narratively formatted in the mind but not verbalized or told Narrative: the telling to someone about the lived story

12 The Present Moment as a Lived Story The moment of participation in another s lived story, or the formation of a mutually lived story by the human and canine, leads to the creation of a different kind of contact between the two species

13 Intersubjective Contact The present moments that arise when dog and trainer make a special kind of mental contact Involves a mutual interpenetration of minds Provide the happenings that change relationships

14 Intersubjective Matrix The continuous cocreative dialogue with other minds The boundaries of self and other remain clear but are more permeable Intentions are modified or born in a shifting dialogue with the felt intentions of others Feelings are shaped by the thoughts, intentions, and feelings of others

15 Intersubjective Consciousness and the Relationship Between Dog and Trainer In cocreating experiences between the dog and trainer, the consciousness of one overlaps and partially includes the consciousness of the other The experience of the human and the dog need not be exactly the same, as they originate from different places and orientations They are similar enough that when the two experiences are mutually validated, a consciousness of sharing the same mental landscape arises

16 Trauma a state of arousal A physiological and psychological state of readiness Activates the fight or flight response An alertness and readiness to respond Can manifest as fear aggression

17 Ways to Address Fear Reactivity Biological aspects understanding neuroanatomy Physical aspects collar, leash, fence, etc. Psychological aspects establishing trust, security and respect

18 Neuroanatomy Central Nervous System brain and spinal cord Peripheral Nervous System brings sensory information to the CNS

19 Emotions Source of motivation to initiate action Give shape and direction to what we do Expressed through muscles in the face and body Facial and physical movements communicate mental state and intention to others

20 Emotions The fundamental purpose of emotions is to initiate movement that will restore the organism to safety and physical equilibrium. Van Der Kolk, 2014

21 Trauma and Emotions Stuck in survival mode No room for nurture, care, love Mind defending itself against threats Ability to imagine, learn and pay attention diminished

22 Relevant Neuroanatomy Autonomic Nervous System: Muscle shifts and tension Eye movement and pupil dilation Fluctuations in salivation, breathing and heart rate

23 Autonomic Nervous System 2 Branches: 1. Sympathetic the body s accelerator (arousal) 2. Parasympathetic serves as the body s brake (slowing down, relaxing); allows learning

24 Polyvagal Theory Vagus Nerve: 10 th cranial nerve Carries signals to and from the brain Vagus is Latin for wandering Travels from base of skull through the abdomen Branches to heart, lungs, voice box, stomach, ears and many other body parts

25 Polyvagal Theory Vagal nerve has many connections Provides understanding of the biology of safety and danger Subtle interplay between body experiences and the impact of others around us Kind face, soothing tone can alter how the dog feels Focused attunement with trainer can shift dog out of disorganized and fearful state Porges, 1994

26 Polyvagal Theory Looks beyond flight or fight Highlights social relationships and their importance in healing trauma Focuses on strengthening the body s system for regulating arousal

27 Attunement to Subtle Emotional Shifts Facial muscle tension/relaxation tell how comfortable, relaxed or frightened the dog or trainer is you re safe with me invites the dog to relax

28 Trauma and Fear Reactivity Challenges in safe and satisfying relationships Difficulties in regulating arousal (shut down, overexcited, disorganized)

29 Trauma and Fear Reactivity Healing involves giving the dog options Being open to choice assists the dog to self soothe and develop emotional regulation Dog does not need permission to move away from conflict or stress

30 Stimulus - Response versus Thinking and Feeling (Behaviorism versus Constructivism) Reward behaviors - teach dog to respond in a certain way Thoughts and feelings associated with certain experiences can be validated and reinforced through behavioral reward Behavior and energy of trainer is important

31 Relevance of Intersubjective Matrix and Healing Social context of interaction important Respect and reciprocity Changing the narrative around the context Each dog an individual (different behavioral thresholds, triggers, emotional resiliency)

32 Part of the healing process Allowing the dog to find someone or something not ok Assist the dog to show this in a more socially accepted way Build on the strength of the individual dog Create a space to increase possible choices

33 Treatment Plan Components 1. Prevention and Management 2. Stress Reduction 3. Relationship Building 4. Enrichment of dog s environment 5. Foundational Skills 6. Behavior Modification

34 Prevention and Management Prevent and avoid when possible Gain insight into the individual dog (behavioral thresholds, triggers) Plan ahead and shape through socialization Self determination let dog make choices

35 Stress Reduction Attune to the primary needs of the dog Look for ways to reduce stress Engage in experiences that are positive

36 Building Relationship Positive moments of contact Reciprocal engagement Being together without necessarily doing

37 Enrichment of Environment Canine ethology as a guide Create stimulating and motivating environment Keep dog engaged Offer learning opportunities Keep in mind basic need to feel safe

38 Foundational Skills Once dog feels safe Build relationship further by operant conditioned learning Make experience social, engaging and positive

39 Behavior Modification paired with Strengthening Resiliency Use operant conditioning to strengthen a behavior Use validation to reinforce a state of mind and emotional response Communicate, cooperate and resolve conflicts Look for a shift in the narrative around certain experiences manifested by healthier/different behavioral choices

40 Reflections for the Trainer Create state of relaxed awareness in themselves Create a space for a safe encounter and healing Suspend judgment Be gentle but persistent Hold healing intention

41 Create Mindful Conditions for Healing The Four S s: 1. Spaciousness 2. Simplicity 3. Single mindedness 4. Slowing down Pollak and Siegel, 2014

42 The Four S s Spaciousness letting thoughts, feelings and physical sensations come and go freely Simplicity setting aside preoccupations, letting go of what we know and meet the dog in the freshness of the moment Single mindedness single tasking, doing one thing at a time, not let our attention be divided Slowing down pause and take a breath when needed, manage our own reactivity

43 Three Objects of Awareness 1. The sensations, thoughts, and feelings arising in the trainer 2. The body language and sensed feeling experience of the dog 3. The flow of relationship our felt sense of connection or distance Surrey, 2005

44 Information Processing Varies with each dog: Sensory experiences that calm or excite Sensory preferences Volume of sensory information tolerated Amount of information that can be processed

45 Seven Senses Touch Posture Balance Smell Hearing Sight Taste

46 Touch Basic form of stimulation Aids in social connection Gives information about environment or object

47 Posture Perception of one s body Movement and regulation of muscle tension Form of communication

48 Balance The language of movement This sense works closely with sight and posture

49 Olfaction (smell) Connected with emotional well being Sniffing a form of self regulation Important connection to the surrounding world Assists in detection of danger

50 Hearing Orientation Induces movement Balance and hearing activate each other

51 Visual Connected to balance and posture Ability to move safely Important role in perception of safety How much is too much to process?

52 Taste Connected to primary needs eating and drinking Connected to smell

53 Activation of Autonomic Nervous System Things to consider: 1. Can the dog react in an adaptive way? 2. Can the dog learn something from the arousal? 3. Is the stimulus too much for either of the above?

54 Space and Distance in Healing Use space and distance consciously Use time and intensity of stimulus consciously Don t force experiences or go too fast Create opportunity for success Dog and trainer learn together in a social cognitive context

55 Case Examples

58 Selected Bibliography Bekoff, Marc The Emotional Lives of Animals. Novato, CA: New World Library. Bekoff, Marc., Colin Allen, and Gordon M. Burghardt The Cognitive Animal: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition. Cambridge Mass: MIT. Irvine, Leslie A Model of Animal Selfhood: Expanding Interactionist Possibilities. Symbolic Interaction 27: Irvine, Leslie If you tame me: Understanding our connections with animals. Temple University Press. Panskeep, Jaak Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions. Oxford University Press. Pollak, Susan, Sitting Together: Essential Skills for Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy. Guilford Press. Porges, S. W Vagal Tone and the Self Regulation of Emotion, in The Development of Emotion Regulation: Biological and Behavioral Considerations, ed N. A. Fox, monographs of the Society of Child Development, vol. 59 (1994), Stern, Daniel The First Relationship: Infant and Mother. Harvard University Press. Stern, Daniel The Present Moment in Psychotherapy and Everyday Life. New York: WW Norton and Company. Surry, J. Relational psychotherapy relational mindfulness. Ed. C.K. Germer, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy (2 nd ed., pp ). New York: Guilford Press. Van der Kolk, Bessel The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York: Penguin Group. Wilber, Ken Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution. Boston: Shambhala Publications.

Timothy W. Pedigo, Ph.D. Psychology and Counseling Governors State University

Timothy W. Pedigo, Ph.D. Psychology and Counseling Governors State University What is Mindfulness? What is Stress? And How Does Mindfulness Help with Stress? Mindfulness is a non-judgmental awareness of