Emotional support animals are a great choice for those who are forced to put up with various social, psychological, and behavioral disorders. So, if you’re considering incorporating ESA into your treatment regimen, discuss it with your psychotherapist. Only a qualified expert can ascertain whether an ESA will benefit your therapy.
In order to have official ESA status for an animal, you must obtain an ESA letter from a specialist. Nonetheless, there are cases when the therapist refuses to provide the necessary documentation to the patient. We will tell you how to avoid such situations and what to do in case of refusal.
What is an ESA?
An emotional support animal can be an ideal companion for people who are experiencing various psychical disturbances. They also help people who have learning or analytical ailments, OCD, and other psychical maladies. Emotional support animals are used to soothe and encourage men who need supplementary inner strengthening and consolation.
These creatures are admirable for humans who have a penchant for the depressing and the brooding, have low self-esteem and an inferiority complex, do not see meaning in their own lives, or have other psychological health complications. ESAs can also help people with social phobia because they give their keepers a sense of security and safety.
An ESA helps reduce stress and consternation, assists with distraction, provides self-assurance and safety and improves the handler’s feeling of safety and comfort. When a person feels lonely or abandoned, ESAs become a companion that brightens their life. Humans think that thanks to ESAs their needs can be met or cherished by their loved ones.
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Why do you need an ESA letter?
Emotional support animal letters act as confirmation of the sanctioned status of ESAs. Unlike service animals, registration for ESAs is not obligatory, so the only way to prove your ownership of an emotional support animal is to obtain this certificate. The existence of the document provides ESAs with some privileges, especially in the housing field.
A documented emotional support animal may reside with its holder in rental dwellings without any added fees or pet deposits. ESA letters provide sufficient reasons for requesting reasonable accommodations from a proprietor when the tenant moves in. A pen on pets, which applies in 99 percent of the cases, doesn’t appeal to ESAs, consequently, they can stay with their handlers with no obstacles.
Moreover, since the emotional support animal letter is a confirmation of the existence of a mental frustration that requires additional care from the ESA, this document allows you to avoid discrimination and prejudices during walks with the animal. In some states, this document also guarantees you additional rights for ESAs in other areas, such as employment or extended public access.
Who can write an emotional support animal letter?
Obtaining an ESA letter is very crucial for anyone wanting an emotional support dog or a cat. Only a licensed mental health professional can supply you with this paper. Usually, these are psychologists, psychotherapists, and psychiatrists who are well-acquainted with ESAs and can predict their impact on the inner situation of the patient.
This is a great option for those who do not have a diagnosed cognitive disruption yet. So, if you are just starting therapy, and think that emotional support animals are a good choice for you, choose a professional who specializes in ESAs.
If you are already undergoing therapy and thinking about having an emotional support animal for supplementary backing, you can contact the Primary Care Physician or your GP, who knows your medical history and treatment process. In some cases, the document can also be issued by a social worker who has a sufficient level of qualification.
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Why some therapists don’t write ESA letters?
There are several cases in which the specialist may refuse to supply you with an ESA letter. First of all, you should understand that you will not be able to get a document from a therapist who does not know you or after the first interview with a psychologist.
Usually, a professional needs several meetings with a patient to understand all the features of a person’s psychical affliction and determine the optimal course of treatment. Even online services for obtaining an ESA letter need a lot of additional particulars about you and your non-physical affliction before issuing you an ESA letter.
Also, the psychotherapist must have a sufficient level of awareness in the field of ESA. If you are seriously thinking about owning an emotional support animal, we suggest that you check the qualifications of the chosen therapist in advance. You can find out more about what to do if your therapist refuses to give an ESA letter on the MyServiceAnimal Registrar blog.
Online services to get an ESA letter
For those who do not want to meet with a psychologist in person, there are online registration services for emotional support animals which are also good solutions for most cases. Very often, patients feel more confident during online consultations or when they do not have to discuss their psychological problems with other people. These online tools can as well be useful in cases where therapists can no longer take care of their patients or when they have problems with mobility.
In order to receive an ESA letter online, use one of the proven services. You will need to fill out a special form and answer questions about your mental health. While answering an online questionnaire, a person can submit more accurate information about the manifestations of their malady and better assess the severity of it.
Provide true and detailed data so that mental health professionals who will check your questionary can assess your condition as accurately as possible and have sufficient grounds for recommending an emotional support animal. After checking your answers by specialists, you will receive a reply to your email within a few working days.
Why therapists should not write ESA letters?
There are occasions when ESA is not the solution to your mental illness. In this case, a mental health professional should not recommend an emotional support animal to you and purvey an ESA letter. In solving this issue, it is best for you to trust the professionals, because they do everything possible so that you notice the results of the therapy as soon as possible.
There are two most frequent contraindications for receiving ESA. A specialist should not authorize an emotional support animal to you if you have a severe fear or phobia, or have had a traumatic experience involving animals. In this case, the therapy will not be effective and will even worsen your psychological state. Also, a therapist cannot prescribe an emotional support animal for you if you have allergies, as this will have negative consequences on your physical health.
However, if you look at the situation from another angle, these cases are rather not contraindications, but only certain limitations. For example, you can choose species of animals that do not cause you to fear and are not related to your psychological trauma. In addition, there are many breeds of cats and dogs that are considered hypoallergenic and will not cause unpleasant symptoms in you or your housemates.
