@NancyRGee

Professor of Psychiatry & Director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction in the School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University

 Richmond, VA
Joined December 2016
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Although 70% of American households would vouch for the benefits of companion animals, the decision about whether to implement animal-based interventions for mental disorders is not always a simple one. @NancyRGee bit.ly/3YKaoxJ
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It was my pleasure! Thank you for highlighting this important topic. @APApsychiatric @AVMAvets @DogsOnCall #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
A special thank you @NancyRGee, Professor of Psychiatry, Bill Balaban Chair in Human Animal Interaction, and the Director of the Center for Human Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University (@VCU) for her expertise and contribution to today's chat. #Paws4MentalHealth
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#Paws4MentalHealth | If you are interested in learning more about this topic, check-out our new publication 'The Role of Companion Animals in the Treatment of Mental Disorders' edited by @NancyRGee, Ph.D., Lisa Townsend, Ph.D., and Robert L. Findling, M.D. appi.org/Products/General-In…
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A7. Spend some active time with your pet. Spending time sitting in gratitude can be very helpful. Try to live in the moment, like your pet does. #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
Q7. Both veterinarians and psychiatrists experience significant professional stress; what are some ways these two groups can manage the pressure and compassion fatigue to prevent burnout? #Paws4MentalHealth
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A7: This is one of the most important issues facing our profession, and a critical focus for AVMA. I encourage all veterinary team members to familiarize themselves with these resources from AVMA to help address compassion fatigue. avma.org/resources-tools/wel… --LT- #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
Q7. Both veterinarians and psychiatrists experience significant professional stress; what are some ways these two groups can manage the pressure and compassion fatigue to prevent burnout? #Paws4MentalHealth
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This is SO important!
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
A6. It it is important for people to do their homework on the animal they are considering, to be sure it is a good fit for them. Are you away from home for many hours every day or do you travel? If so, you either need to plan to put a dog in doggie daycare or board them, or consider getting a different species, like fish, who need much less social interaction. ... (1/2) #Paws4MentalHealth
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That's certainly true and we provide great details in our book that researchers and clinicians will both appreciate. #Paws4MentalHealth
Amer Psychiatric Pub
@APA_Publishing29 Mar 2023
A6. Although 70% of American households would vouch for the benefits of companion animals, the decision about whether to implement animal-based interventions for mental disorders is not always a simple one. @NancyRGee bit.ly/3YKaoxJ
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A5. Like us, they need high quality nutrition and veterinary care, and physical and social stimulation that suits their species, breed and individual needs. One of the biggest problems that has been show to reduce the lifespan of our pets is obesity, so be sure you don’t overfeed them and make sure they get an appropriate amount of exercise. #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
Q5. As shown in the recent APA poll 86% of pet owners consider their pet a part of their family, how can pet owners ensure a long and happy life with their pet? #Paws4MentalHealth
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If you are all enjoying my answers from APA, please let me know if you have any questions for me. #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
A4. Yes, generally speaking, their keen senses alert them to the subtlest changes in our body chemistry and posture. Dogs in particular have been domesticated over a period of 35k years & have been selectively bred to work with humans. As a result, they are very adept at reading our social cues. #Paws4MentalHealth
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A3. There are many ways this can be accomplished, so please read our new book! Here are two quick examples, they can participate in therapy via Animal-Assisted Therapy, or they can serve as Psychiatric Service dogs supporting those with PTSD. #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
Q3. How do companion animals help with the treatment of diagnosed mental health issues? #Paws4MentalHealth
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A2. Absolutely, the best way to do this is to do things with your pet that they enjoy. Take them for walks, or to a training class. Teach them tricks. They love doing things (with their people) for rewards like small treats or the chance to play with toy. #Paws4MentalHealth
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
Q2. Are there ways humans can help build a bond with their pet? #Paws4MentalHealth
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#Paws4MentalHealth | A1. Pets may decrease depression, anxiety, and loneliness, but they may also help to improve our physical health which tends to be associated with improvements in mental health. For example, their presence may reduce our blood pressure, triglycerides, and stress hormones.
American Psychiatric Association@APApsychiatric29 Mar 2023
Q1. According to a new APA poll, nearly 90% of pet owners said their pet positively impacts their mental health. What are the ways pets improve our mental health? #Paws4MentalHealth
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We're so excited to announce that #ISAZ2023 will be hosted in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 15-18, 2023 at @EdinburghUni! Look out for more information soon, including the #ISAZ2023 website and abstract submission information.
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Next up in our "Meet the ISAZ Board" series is our President-Elect, Dr. Nancy Gee (@NancyRGee) Read more about Dr. Gee below:
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Happy National Dog Day! Make your gift to VCU Health's Dogs on Call today, and lend a helping hound to make a paw-sitive impact. igniter.vcu.edu/o/virginia-c…
A white dog wearing a blue harness which reads "Dogs on Call Therapy Dog." Beneath it a yellow banner with the text "Give Now" in black.

ALT A white dog wearing a blue harness which reads "Dogs on Call Therapy Dog." Beneath it a yellow banner with the text "Give Now" in black.

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This doesn't mean that interacting with dogs isn't beneficial - it means that we've got a lot of work to do to figure out why sometimes we find an effect and other times don't. @herzoghal @NancyRGee and I wrote an entire article about why this may be! doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.6…

Frontiers | Variability in Human-Animal Interaction Research

The field of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) is plagued with mixed results. Some findings appear to indicate that interacting with a companion animal is benef...

frontiersin.org
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🚨 Our team at @waltham_science have developed and validated a Quality of Life (QoL) instrument for dogs, published in @SciReports. It documents well-being across 8 domains related to to both general health and specifically around mealtimes: nature.com/articles/s41598-0…. A thread 🧵
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Attending #ISAZ2022 this year? Don’t miss Dr. Erica Friedmann's presentation on 9 July, 9:00-9:55 EDT: Pet Ownership and Maintenance of Physical Function in Older Adults – Evidence from the BLSA @ISAZOfficial

#ISAZ2022

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Are you interested in working with the Center for Human-Animal Interaction? If so, please consider applying to join our team at the following link: bit.ly/3uG2vMn #VCU #VCUhealth #BestJobEver
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