I don’t know about you, but I am totally hyped up for the 2024 Olympic Games, ready to cheer on Team USA in all sports. But let’s be real, the Olympic Games aren’t just any old event—this is the high-pressure world of elite sports, where the best of the best compete in the revered global arena, and when an athlete’s physical fitness and success is dependent upon their emotional wellbeing.
Which is why in the weeks leading up to the Olympic Games, I was elated to learn about USA Gymnastics prioritization of the mental and emotional wellbeing of athletes prior to the start of the games. I loved how my social media algorithm flooded my social media feed with videos and images of the USA Gymnastics team warmly embracing therapy dogs to help manage stress and anxiety.
Naturally, I loved these videos and images, and their recurring appearance inspired me to consider my own advocacy efforts. Maybe if the entire world was able to observe the positive effects of therapy dogs on the wellbeing of elite athletes then there might be a more clear pathway to connect the dots to the potential benefits for other groups, like America’s high school students.
If you know me, then you know that my next series of wonderings centered around one thematic implication: if highly driven and talented athletes benefit from the presence of therapy dogs, then high school students across America could also gain significant advantages from similar support.
At the end of the day, high school students are not fundamentally different from elite athletes in their need for support. For high school students, the academic environment can be a significant source of stress (Maricevic, 2022). Like the gymnast’s pressure to perform flawlessly in routines, maintain peak physical condition, and compete at high-stakes events, high school students can often feel overwhelming pressure to excel academically, manage social relationships, and plan for the future. Incorporating therapy dogs into schools in the same manner as USA Gymnastics offers a valuable outlet for stress relief and emotional support for adolescents. If therapy dogs can aid aspiring Olympians in achieving their goals, they can also play a crucial role in helping America’s teenagers manage the challenges of high school.
So here we go! Here’s a brief argument for why high school students deserve therapy dogs in their learning environment just as much as elite athletes. Let’s begin!
A Quick Refresher on the Benefits of Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs are dogs specially trained to offer comfort and companionship in a range of public and private settings, including schools, hospitals, and environments affected by traumatic events (Maricevic, 2022). Their presence profoundly impacts individuals’ emotional and mental health (Maricevic, 2022). Research, including my own, confirms that interacting with therapy dogs significantly reduces anxiety, stress, and symptoms of depression in humans, especially for adolescents (Maricevic, 2022). Furthermore, there are notable physical benefits attached to the human-animal bond, such as increased levels of oxytocin—a hormone linked to bonding and emotional well-being—and decreased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone (McDowall, 2023).
A Beacon of Possibilities
You can thank this entire post to Beacon. Beacon, a 4-year-old golden retriever therapy dog, is a pivotal part of USA Gymnastics’ efforts to transform the sport’s toxic culture.
Beacon, along with a brigade of therapy dogs contributed to the national competitions by offering a calming presence to the athletes (even swimmers). One such athlete, Joscelyn Roberson, expressed her love for Beacon saying, “He’s so cute! I’ve already told people that this is the best thing that U.S.A. Gymnastics can do for us” (Macur, 2024).
Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Li Li Leung, the USA Gymnastics organization made significant strides in prioritizing mental health following scandals and revelations about the toxic environment in the sport. Leung underscored the importance of mental wellness, stating, “There’s no question that there was a lesson learned from Tokyo in terms of mental wellness being so critically important” (Macur, 2024). Leung’s commitment to this priority is demonstrated through the inclusion of nearly 20 dog-and-handler teams during the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships in Fort Worth this year, providing much-needed emotional support.
According to NBC News, Beacon, the organization’s “first official therapy dog,” made rounds during the trials, watching over athletes and coaches (Portée 2024). As gymnasts tackled floor routines, balance beams, and vaults, Beacon was there to alleviate the strain of injuries and the stresses of the multi-day event. Beacon’s human-run Instagram page notes that he “loves pet therapy, fridge time” and “making friends with everyone” (Portee, 2024). Beacon’s handler, Tracey Callahan Molnar, shared with ESPN that Beacon’s role involves acting as an “emotional sponge” for athletes, absorbing their stress. As Molnar explained, “Beacon gets tired by the end of the day [and] absorbs the stress of the people they’re relieving the stress off of” (Portee, 2024). Although exhausting work, it is profoundly meaningful.
Extending the Success of Therapy Dogs to High Schools
The success of Beacon and other therapy dogs with the USA Gymnastics team, as well as those that comforted members of the USA Swimming team during qualifying events, raises important questions: if therapy dogs can help aspiring Olympians achieve their dreams, in what ways, if any, can they do the same for America’s teenage population in high schools? Are high school students any less deserving of the same opportunity afforded to Olympic hopefuls? If therapy dogs provide emotional support and stress relief for success in the athletic arena, why shouldn’t they do the same for high school students to thrive in the academic arena? More importantly, why aren’t they?
While elite athletes certainly benefit from therapy dogs, high school students face unique and substantial pressures that make the support of therapy dogs not just beneficial but essential as they experience significant stress and emotional challenges that can deeply impact their academic performance and overall well-being. The academic demands, social pressures, and the uncertainty about the future create a high-stress environment. Therapy dogs offer a much-needed respite, providing emotional support and reducing stress in ways that are crucial for students navigating these formative years.
Not to mention the transition from adolescence to adulthood is a critical period of physical and emotional maturation where students are developing essential life skills, including emotional regulation and social interaction (Maricevic, 2022). Therapy dogs as a presence during this period of development help in fostering emotional resilience, enhancing social skills, and building empathy, foundational skills for personal growth and future success, thus making the presence of therapy dogs an invaluable support system during this developmental stage (Maricevic, 2022).
The research that accompanies my advocacy for therapy dogs in high school settings does not diminish the reality elite athletes face from intense pressure and high expectations. However, their access to support systems and resources is generally more robust and innovative, as observed through the inclusion of Beacon. Elite athletes often have dedicated mental health professionals, coaches, and structured programs to address their needs. In comparison, high school students may lack such comprehensive support, all the more reason to include therapy dogs as a particularly impactful and equitable enhancement to their educational experience, addressing a critical need by supporting students in a holistic and meaningful way, ultimately fostering a healthier, more supportive learning environment (Maricevic, 2022).
The example set by the USA Gymnastics team underscores the powerful role that therapy dogs can play in promoting mental health and emotional well-being. By bringing therapy dogs into high schools, educational leaders can offer students the same level of support that helps elite athletes thrive in their complex lives.
Are you convinced yet that if therapy dogs are good enough for elite athletes they are more than good enough for our high school students?
Well, here’s the deal, you should be convinced by now, and if not, let me share some important information. Incorporating therapy dogs into high schools yields a variety of positive outcomes, from enhancing the overall school environment to the student experience (Maricevic, 2022):
- High school students experience significant stress and emotional challenges that can deeply impact their academic performance and overall well-being. The academic demands, social pressures, and the uncertainty about the future create a high-stress environment. Therapy dogs offer a much-needed respite, providing emotional support and reducing stress in ways that are crucial for students navigating these formative years.
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Therapy dogs help lower students’ stress and anxiety levels, creating a more relaxed and conducive learning environment.
- Improved Academic Performance: Lower stress levels leads to better focus and concentration, improving academic performance.
- Enhanced Emotional Support: Therapy dogs provide unconditional love and companionship, offering a comforting presence that helps students navigate emotional challenges.
- The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a critical period where students are developing essential life skills, including emotional regulation and social interaction. Therapy dogs help in fostering emotional resilience, enhancing social skills, and building empathy. These skills are foundational for personal growth and future success, making the presence of therapy dogs an invaluable support system during this developmental stage.
- Increased Social Interaction: The presence of a therapy dog encourages social interaction among students, fostering a sense of community and reducing feelings of isolation.
- Priotizating Mental Health: Regular interaction with therapy dogs contributes to improved overall mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Development of Empathy and Responsibility: Caring for and interacting with therapy dogs helps students develop empathy and a sense of responsibility.
- Furthermore, therapy dogs can play a transformative role in creating a positive school environment. They not only alleviate individual stress but also promote a sense of community among students. By reducing feelings of isolation and fostering social interaction, therapy dogs contribute to a more inclusive and supportive school culture.
- Positive School Environment: The inclusion of therapy dogs creates a more positive and welcoming school environment, promoting happiness and well-being among students, staff and stakeholders in the greater learning community.
Hey Educators, Remember This!
Educators need to remember that while elite athletes face intense pressure and high expectations, they generally have more robust support systems and resources. They often have access to dedicated mental health professionals, coaches, and structured programs to address their needs. Despite this, a transformative leader like USA Gymnastics’ Leung recognized more needed to be done to support athletes and incorporated a seemingly unconventional resource—therapy dogs—to support team members in a truly authentic and organic way.
Educators need to remember that, in comparison to elite athletes, high school students may lack comprehensive support systems in and out of school for a myriad of reasons. This is why the inclusion of therapy dogs would be a particularly impactful and equitable enhancement to the adolescent educational experience. However, it requires a transformative leader with an innovative mindset, like Leung, to recognize the long-term benefits of including a therapy dog within their organization.
It’s clear therapy dogs are good enough for Olympians, then they are more than good enough for America’s high school students. The example set by the USA Gymnastics team highlights the significant role therapy dogs can play in fostering mental health and emotional stability. Educational leaders and stakeholders must put ego aside and kick past-practice to the curb. Bringing therapy dogs into high schools will provide students with the same level of support that contributes to the success of elite athletes. Educational stakeholders must challenge the status quo and make a meaningful advancement in supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of America’s youth.
Empathic Paws 