Alright who signed this pet letter?

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United Airlines charges $125 one way or $250 round trip for a pet unless you have a letter from a doctor indicating that it is for service/emotional support. I looked into this the other day when I was scratching my head trying to figure out why one of my ADHD patients (with no other psychiatric conditions) requested a letter from me.
 
F0nzie said:
unless you have a letter from a doctor indicating that it is for service/emotional support.
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The thing is, what pet isn't? Free pet flights for us all. ")
 
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Ugh, "support animals" aren't all that empirically supported yet. I haven't seen convincing data suggesting support animals do anything above and beyond what merely having a pet does for emotional issues. In some cases, I'd even argue that they are counter-productive (e.g., having a PTSD dog engage in checking behavior).
 
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A pet (while they can be therapuetic) is not the same as a trained service animal for the disabled and should not be treated as such. This type of drift bugs me, too. I don't think it has been helpful for the schools to treat every kid that has any type of problem as disabled either. There was a great South Park episode where Cartman was using a scooter at Walmart because he didn't want to walk anymore because he was fat and hence was "disabled".

latest
 
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WisNeuro said:
Ugh, "support animals" aren't all that empirically supported yet. I haven't seen convincing data suggesting support animals do anything above and beyond what merely having a pet does for emotional issues. In some cases, I'd even argue that they are counter-productive (e.g., having a PTSD dog engage in checking behavior).
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Won't stop the media outrage for "why isn't the VA paying for this?"
 
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WingedOx said:
Won't stop the media outrage for "why isn't the VA paying for this?"
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Yeah, I cringed during a recent NPR segment on just this thing. And I still occasionally get Vets asking me if I can recommend that they get service animals. But yeah, just another way that the VA is "failing vets" by advocating for evidence based practices. Hell, we already fee base out for acupuncture, I'm just waiting for the push to start paying for homeopathy.
 
WisNeuro said:
Yeah, I cringed during a recent NPR segment on just this thing. And I still occasionally get Vets asking me if I can recommend that they get service animals. But yeah, just another way that the VA is "failing vets" by advocating for evidence based practices. Hell, we already fee base out for acupuncture, I'm just waiting for the push to start paying for homeopathy.
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Yup, that All Things Considered segment is exactly what I was thinking of (though the segment about the Austin musicians mental health nonprofit that same day was cool to hear about). There's a guy at my center who carries around a yorkie as a service dog. I occasionally hear the damn thing barking during the groups that are on the other side of my office wall.
 
I have had " trained service dogs" attack other veterans in the waiting room clinic. At some point, this just has to stop. I hope that airlines will push for changes to this (as they have the most vested interest in it).
 
sunlioness said:
And reiki!!!
And can't forget past life regression. Why not?

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Pfft, Reiki is like so 2009. Don't you know the most up to date recommendation is 1 salt circle and 2 lesser banishing rituals of the pentagram prn. :whistle::p
 
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Two words describe the best mix of wacko and sick, "Coffee enemas". I'll go with the salt circle thing.
 
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I don't know. Coffee seems to work fairly well for that purpose going in the normal way.

Do people really do that? Hot coffee? Ow.


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I think it is a "cleansing" Yuppie fad that combines a fascination with Starbucks with an obvious fixation. :rolleyes:
 
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Well, I learned something today. Coffee enemas for everyone!

(And to be honest, I'm not sure which I found scarier in that article: a coffee enema or a raw vegan diet.
 
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sunlioness said:
Well, I learned something today. Coffee enemas for everyone!

(And to be honest, I'm not sure which I found scarier in that article: a coffee enema or a raw vegan diet.
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There are actually some shonksters out there who seriously recommend adopting a raw vegan diet as a treatment for anorexia nervosa. I know at least one person who got suckered in by such claims as 'lovingly and spiritually nourishing your soul back to health' and then claimed to have been completely cured, because at a height of 5'8 and a starting weight of 63 pounds he actually managed to increase his weight up to a 'healthy' 72 pounds simply by eating 'clean'. Yep, 72 pounds is a perfectly healthy weight for a man who stands 5 foot 8 inches tall, clearly this raw food thing is the magic wand anorexics the world over have been waiting for. *rolls eyes so hard they fall out their sockets and go bouncing around the room* :rolleyes:
 
MacDonaldTriad said:
I like how it specifies using filtered water. Wouldn't want to contaminate all that coliform bacteria after all.
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And I'm sure there's a group out there somewhere who are probably fighting for the rights of coliform bacteria to live a contamination free life cycle. Actually considering some of the statements I've heard coming from the New Age Woo sector, that idea isn't as far fetched as it sounds.

As for therapy pets...My husband and I have an Australian native aquarium set up, and some of our rainbow fish died en masse recently due to a rolling blackout knocking out the filtration system (okay that part is true, we lost over half our tank, including one fish we'd managed to breed and raise to juvenile status, and yeah it majorly sucked). I'm still feeling quite triggered by the event, and I believe my anxiety would be greatly lessened if I was just able to wheel the entire aquarium around with me at all times. Can someone sign a letter for me stating that this is totally a therapy aquarium and therefore necessary to my emotional well being. No, really, this is a totally legitimate request, I swear. :shifty:
 
OldPsychDoc said:
Only if I can copyright the term 'Theraquarium'.
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Copyright that, and partner with the Amen clinic. Patients get a worthless qEEG and other "assessments." And then they get a prescription for the Theraquarium. Given the current iatrogenesis of mTBI, you'll make millions.
 
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OldPsychDoc said:
Only if I can copyright the term 'Theraquarium'.
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WisNeuro said:
Copyright that, and partner with the Amen clinic. Patients get a worthless qEEG and other "assessments." And then they get a prescription for the Theraquarium. Given the current iatrogenesis of mTBI, you'll make millions.
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You guys crack me up! :lol::lol::lol:
 
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I so need to start up a therapeutic swimming with the fishes program. I could make millions and have cool pets at the same time. As we "processed the experience", I could make all kinds of brilliant sounding pseudo-psychological metaphors about going deeper, murky depths, tranquil calm, dangerous reefs. Here are a couple of the "therapeutic aides".
38e4f363-82f1-427e-af20-ff3c73efa042-25230510_BG1.jpg
 
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smalltownpsych said:
I so need to start up a therapeutic swimming with the fishes program. I could make millions and have cool pets at the same time. As we "processed the experience", I could make all kinds of brilliant sounding pseudo-psychological metaphors about going deeper, murky depths, tranquil calm, dangerous reefs. Here are a couple of the "therapeutic aides".
38e4f363-82f1-427e-af20-ff3c73efa042-25230510_BG1.jpg
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If the VA can pay for acupuncture, I don't see why they can't pay for this too...
 
smalltownpsych said:
I so need to start up a therapeutic swimming with the fishes program. I could make millions and have cool pets at the same time. As we "processed the experience", I could make all kinds of brilliant sounding pseudo-psychological metaphors about going deeper, murky depths, tranquil calm, dangerous reefs. Here are a couple of the "therapeutic aides".
38e4f363-82f1-427e-af20-ff3c73efa042-25230510_BG1.jpg
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147889.006.01.197_20141023_151113-still.jpg

So hey, we got this order for a tank like we never done before!
What kinda tank?
This psychiatrist wanted a tank so his patients could go swimmin' in it to cure their anxiety! They say the fishes can totally cure depression and stress.
When I heard that I was like "whoa! we gotta do this!"
 
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What's the point of bringing a flightless bird on a plane? Get something with a decent wingspan in case the plane hits turbulence and you need to bolt!
 
A few years ago when I was still dating, a woman I had been seeing for a bit had the audacity to ask me to write a letter stating that her pet was actually a therapy pet so that she could get out of paying a pet deposit to an apartment. I decided to dump her instead.
 
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HooahDOc said:
A few years ago when I was still dating, a woman I had been seeing for a bit had the audacity to ask me to write a letter stating that her pet was actually a therapy pet so that she could get out of paying a pet deposit to an apartment. I decided to dump her instead.
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Good call.


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smalltownpsych said:
I so need to start up a therapeutic swimming with the fishes program. I could make millions and have cool pets at the same time. As we "processed the experience", I could make all kinds of brilliant sounding pseudo-psychological metaphors about going deeper, murky depths, tranquil calm, dangerous reefs. Here are a couple of the "therapeutic aides".
38e4f363-82f1-427e-af20-ff3c73efa042-25230510_BG1.jpg
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Forget swimming with the fishes, just let me take that Mermaid on the right home for a few days. I'm sure I'll feel better in no time. :shifty:
 
Ceke2002 said:
As therapy pets? Yes they are.
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It's the application that's ridiculous. There aren't sets of ridiculous and non-ridiculous animals. Sorry I made it a thing. It was just funny to me.

EDIT: Hopefully to make this not a thing, here is a playlist of a ridiculous man who finds animals ridiculous:

 
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I wonder how much you could make as an Internet rent-a-shrink signing emotional support animal letters?

Not remotely considering it, mind. I like being able to look at myself in the mirror. Just curious.


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sunlioness said:
I wonder how much you could make as an Internet rent-a-shrink signing emotional support animal letters?

Not remotely considering it, mind. I like being able to look at myself in the mirror. Just curious.


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Each stuffed animal comes with a certified letter by a BC shrink.
 
Ooo. I will have a line of emotional support therapy lionesses. Complete with signed certificate. Complimentary one month Xannie prescription for the first 100 orders.


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