The rise of animal-assisted therapy

You buy sachets of food that stink out the house and spend hundreds on vet bills.In return ,the feline companion scratches your furniture and occasionally disappears for three days.

sachet [sæˈʃeɪ] 香囊；小袋

stink:[stɪŋk]v. 发恶臭，有异味；

feline:[ˈfiːlaɪn] 猫科的；猫一样的；狡猾的

psychotherapist[ˌsaɪkoʊˈθerəpɪst] n. 精神治疗医师

With animals,he says ,there is no apparent quid pro quo.

quid pro quo交换条件

In the past few years,analyses of dozens of studies indicate animals in therapy can have a limited but positive impact on a range of disorders,including depression,schizophrenia and addiction.

schizophrenia:ˌ[skɪtsəˈfriːniəˌˌskɪtsəˈfreniə]n. [内科] 精神分裂症

With phobias ,he has a programme with stick insects,butterflies,and worms."If we have problems with eating problems,like anorexia and bulimia,we have a special method to work with iguanas."

phobias n. [内科]恐怖症；憎恶

stick insects 竹节虫

anorexia 厌食；神经性厌食症

bulimia.[buˈlɪmiəˌbuˈliːmiə] 暴食症

 iguanas[i'gwa:nəs]n. [脊椎]鬣蜥（iguana 的复数）；美洲蜥蜴

Yehuda says animal-assistedtherapy is a"new,living and kicking"field of psychotherapy but that his work is very ancient ,even instinctual.

 kicking 活泼热烈的；激动人心的

 instinctual 本能的  instinct  n. 本能，天性；直觉；天分，天赋