Stellenbosch University’s Tygerberg Medical Campus recently witnessed a heartwarming initiative aimed at promoting mental wellness among students. On August 20, fourth-year occupational therapy (OT) students Christelle van Wyk and Marié van Wyk, in collaboration with the Animal Welfare Society (AWS), organized a Puppy Therapy Day on the Rooiplein.
Event Overview
The Puppy Therapy Day was part of a quarterly mental health campaign that the van Wyk sisters organize independently of their academic responsibilities. The event aimed to provide emotional support and stress relief to students by bringing four adorable puppies to campus.
Christelle and Marié van Wyk explained in an email to SMF News, “Puppy therapy provides significant benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, enhanced mood, emotional support, and greater relaxation.”
Therapeutic Benefits of Pets
The theme for this term’s mental health campaign, as determined by the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD), focused on the therapeutic value of pets. The event combined the benefits of interacting with animals with practical coping strategies for students who may not have pets.
Christelle shared, “This term featured the puppy therapy day, which combined coping strategies for students who do not have pets with the therapeutic benefits of animal interaction.”
Raising Awareness
In addition to providing immediate emotional support through puppy interactions, the event also aimed to raise awareness about the services offered by the CSCD and the field of occupational therapy.
Elmarie Kruger, a senior counselling psychologist at the CSCD, highlighted the event’s dual purpose: “The CSCD provides funding for the activities and marketing materials, as well as supervision. We also distributed literature on alternative stress reduction techniques, such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.”
Promoting Occupational Therapy
The collaboration between the CSCD and OT students began in 2022, and the partnership has been beneficial in integrating professional training into the CSCD’s services. By placing two OT students at the CSCD each term, the initiative has helped raise awareness about occupational therapy among students.
Kruger noted, “Towards the end of 2022, the CSCD reached out to various academic departments, offering professional training as an extension of CSCD services. This led to eight final-year OT students being placed at the CSCD for their mental health rotation.”
Student Reactions
The impact of the event on attendees was evident. Olivia Cammell, a third-year BA (Humanities) student at SU, expressed her gratitude: “When I feel caught up on life and everything is stressing me out, there’s nothing like petting a puppy to make me feel more relaxed.”
Conclusion
The Puppy Therapy Day at Stellenbosch University highlighted the profound impact of animal interaction on mental well-being. By combining therapeutic practices with hands-on experiences, the event successfully promoted mental wellness and raised awareness about the value of occupational therapy. Through initiatives like these, students and faculty alike can see the positive effects of integrating simple yet effective methods to support mental health.
Support and Resources: For those seeking help with stress and mental health issues, various resources and support services are available on and off-campus.
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