Guest lecture by Dr. Lidija Čilić Burušić: A therapy dog as a mediator in communication

Dr. Lidija Čilić Burušić, a psychologist from the SUVAG Polyclinic for the Rehabilitation of Hearing and Speech, accompanied by a therapy Labrador named Gabi, delivered a guest lecture titled “A Therapy Dog as a Mediator in Communication” on April 28 as part of the course Investigative Journalism for first-year graduate students of Communication Studies, in the Intercultural Communication and Journalism track.

Gabi, a Labrador who has been working with the SUVAG Polyclinic team for four years, helps children establish contact, develop social and communication skills, reduce anxiety, and improve motivation and concentration. The guest lecturer particularly highlighted the scientifically supported effects of interaction with a therapy dog, including increased oxytocin levels (the “happiness hormone”), reduced cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and lowered blood pressure and heart rate.

Students were also introduced to specific projects involving Gabi the Labrador, such as the program “Reading with Gabi,” in which children with reading difficulties read to the therapy dog, as well as the picture books “Gabi Goes to Work” and “Gabi Lives Healthy,” created in collaboration with students from the Department of Graphics at the School of Applied Arts and Design in Zagreb.

Dr. Čilić Burušić also shared personal experiences and the benefits that working with a therapy dog brings to the handler, ranging from daily physical activity and routine, to responsible care for the dog, easier establishment of social contacts, and a better understanding of nonverbal communication.

The SUVAG Polyclinic for the Rehabilitation of Hearing and Speech provides daily care for around one thousand patients, 80 percent of whom are children with speech and language difficulties and hearing impairments.