Pets can act as family therapists, as they facilitate mutual understanding between family members and reduce the tension that sometimes manifests itself in any, even the best relationships. Pets create a friendly and warm atmosphere in the family. How do they do this? The feelings of the owners are transferred to pets. They are ideal for the projection of feelings because they are constantly nearby, cannot speak, and therefore cannot refute either your thoughts or your feelings that you attribute to them. For example, if you miss your husband who has gone on a business trip, you can tell him that it is your dog who misses him very much, it is his presence that he misses. Because you were not taught to talk about your feelings, there was no such example in your parental family. And fantasies about how an animal feels cannot be verified. And therefore, any feeling can be attributed to an animal. For example, a young woman complains that her cat for some reason did not like her mother-in-law. It’s difficult to recognize feelings in yourself, especially hostility towards your mother-in-law; it’s easier to see this feeling in a pet. One of my friends, with the help of a cat, emphasizes the importance of her husband, saying: “Look how Barsik loves you. I feed him, and he hurries to you to be petted. He understands who’s boss in the house.” And the husband is happy, smiling. You can turn to a cat or dog with the words: “I know, you are as sad as I am,” talk to him, share your secrets and experiences, believing that the animal understands everything. On pets feelings intended for people can be acted out. Thus, the head of the family may shout at the dog, although his anger relates to his wife. Or stroke, although you want to stroke someone completely different... In a family, an animal can replace an absent person. And this happens quite often. For example, in a family living without a man, a dog can perform his functions: give and receive care, occupy space, structure time, etc. One day a woman came to me for help. Her beloved rabbit died when her owner went on vacation for the first time in many years, leaving him at an animal shelter. For the woman, this turned out to be an event commensurate with the death of a loved one, since the rabbit replaced both her husband and children. For any person it is very important, it is simply necessary, that at least one creature accepts him for who he is, everyone. Regardless of his mood, successes and achievements. No matter how bad or good he is. And pets really don’t care about all this. Communication with them is emotionally safe. They love us not for anything, but simply because we are present in their lives. The dog will show you his love and unconditional acceptance by wagging his tail, and the cat will lie on his chest and purr his soothing song. Even loving people sometimes criticize us, but animals never do. Pets provide not only mental health benefits, but physical health benefits as well. They add energy to us and “infect” us with a good mood. Communicating with them, we relax, calm down and gain strength. Animals entertain us: a dog can endlessly fetch an object thrown to it, a cat can run after a toy mouse or someone else in general. They yawn so funny and touchingly, stretch, jump, curl up, etc. Pets teach responsibility, since their life and living conditions directly depend on us. They unwittingly perform the function of educators, giving us the opportunity to show tolerance and altruism. We endure the inconveniences associated with keeping them: uncontrollable sounds, smells, fur everywhere. We are disciplined by the need to walk the dog in any weather, train it, visit the veterinarian, search for healthy food and much more. Animals not only provide comfort and security. They can act as a nanny for a child while adults are busy with their own affairs, or a child can play with a cat or puppy. Thanks to your?,