BY VERA LAWLOR

The adjunct psychotherapist in Dr. Frank Sileo's office never utters a word. In fact, sometimes he sleeps through entire sessions and yet he has a profound affect on the patients who visit The Center for Psychological Enhancement in Ridgewood.

By his very presence, Ozzie a cairn terrier, puts clients at ease.

"Most therapy dogs or animals are used in nursing homes, hospitals, and psychiatric facilities, and after I adopted Ozzie I thought about how I could use him in my practice," said Sileo, executive director of the center.

ANIMAL-HUMAN BOND

Sileo is among a handful of psychiatrists and psychotherapists who use specially trained animals in their practice. Often these professionals find that animals succeed in getting through to patients and help them in dealing with issues in ways that traditional interventions sometimes fail. A number of controlled clinical studies have proven the great power of the human animal bond, according to Dr. Aaron Katcher, an emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. For example, these studies found that when around animals, depressed people become more outgoing; children with ADHD and conduct disorder became less aggressive; and children with developmental disabilities or autistic children became more social and their level of concentration improves.

While Sileo hasn't conducted any studies, he sees the benefits of having Ozzie as a partner every day. The terrier was prepared for the job by taking obedience training classes under a professional trainer and receiving certification though The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Inc., based in Morris Plains. Because he is hypoallergenic Ozzie works well even with clients who are allergic to other animals.

"Ozzie is a non-threatening and non-judgmental presence in my office," said Sileo, who works with children over 5 years old. "You could come here with your hair all different ways or you could have had the worst day – maybe a child failed his algebra test – and Ozzie will still greet you with his tail wagging."

Pets love unconditionally and that's why people are drawn to them, the therapist said. We often don't get that same type of love elsewhere in our lives, he added.

TEACHING TOOL

"The little dog" whose name comes from The Wizard of Oz because a cairn played such a huge role in Dorothy's journey of self-discovery, has also proved to be a wonderful teaching tool for Sileo. During parent counseling sessions, for example, some clients will ask why Ozzie has to stay in his bed rather than being allowed to wander around the room.

"That gives me the opportunity to tell them that like children, dogs need boundaries and limits," Sileo said.

Sometimes couples argue with each other while in the office and as their voices get louder Ozzie gets more anxious. When they are really loud he will sometimes pace, whimper, and even start to bark.

"When that happens I say: 'Look at the affect you are having on the dog, how do think your children react when you start yelling like this at home?'" Sileo said.

Often, when parents are caught up in fighting with one another they are not cognizant of how it's affecting other people in the family, the therapist added.

Ozzie's negative reaction gets their attention whether or not they are dog people.

The terrier is also helping Sileo to break through to children. That happens from the moment the therapist greets them in the waiting room with Ozzie in his arms.

REASSURING PRESENCE

"When I have children who have never been to a therapist before I explain that I am a doctor who fixes boo-boos of the heart," Sileo said. "They look at Ozzie and I tell them he is in the office to keep us company. I also reassure them that the only ones listening to them in this room are me and Ozzie and we hold what they say as private."

Children with boundary issues learn social skills by first following Sileo's rules when it comes to petting Ozzie. Bullies learn that their behavior is unacceptable when they attempt to rough-house the dog and lose the privilege of being around him. That leads to a discussion of bullying other people.

Children who need to work on being more assertive get to first practice giving training commands to Ozzie. As they gain confidence they begin to practice with the people in their lives. The dog works magic too on shy children who are unwilling to verbalize.

"When they first walk in the office Ozzie is excited to see them and I say: 'look at Ozzie's tail go – what do you think he's feeling?'" Sileo said. "They usually respond with 'Happy' and then I follow with: 'How is your tail today'? What would your tail be doing if you had one – wagging or between your legs?"

This almost always leads to a conversation.

Sileo reassures parents that their children are not just coming to his office to play with a dog. There's a definite purpose behind his approach.

Little children relate well to doggie talk, Sileo said. Indeed many of the therapy books on his shelves feature animals for that very reason. The "how is your tail doing today?" greeting has even become a running joke among adolescent clients.

"They know what I mean and it's so much more fun than the typical therapist's line: 'How does that make you feel?'" Sileo said.

For chronically ill children who visit the therapist's office, Ozzie provides comfort – he's a warm body to hold.

"Some kids who come in here are incredibly vulnerable and Ozzie has an intuitive sense to want to be with these children," Sileo said. "As they are petting him they are talking about how I hate my mom, or I hate my school, or I hate being picked on at school. They might be talking to Ozzie or they might be talking to me."

It doesn't matter. The point is they are talking.

Vera Lawlor is The Parent Paper's pet columnist. You can reach Vera at veralawlor@yahoo.com.