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42. Observing Eye Contact in Dogs for Better Connection

Connection Therapy

Release Date: 05/21/2025

43. The Psychology of Appeasement: What Dogs Teach Us About Connection show art 43. The Psychology of Appeasement: What Dogs Teach Us About Connection

Connection Therapy

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42. Observing Eye Contact in Dogs for Better Connection show art 42. Observing Eye Contact in Dogs for Better Connection

Connection Therapy

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect on what helps us feel seen, safe, and connected. And sometimes, the most powerful connection doesn’t need words at all. It begins with eye contact. In this episode, Brenda reflects on the power of eye contact and what it tells us about connection, safety, and trust—both in our relationships with people and with animals. We often think of eye contact as a simple social skill, but it’s so much more than that. It plays a key role in human development, emotional regulation, and communication. And as Brenda shares, it appears it may...

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41. Art and Science Combined for Better Mental Health Practice show art 41. Art and Science Combined for Better Mental Health Practice

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40. Insights from Research That Transform Therapy Practice show art 40. Insights from Research That Transform Therapy Practice

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39. The Research on Mimicking and Connection show art 39. The Research on Mimicking and Connection

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38. Increasing Alignment in the Therapy Room: Ways to Make Sense of Differences Between Statements and Nonverbal Signals show art 38. Increasing Alignment in the Therapy Room: Ways to Make Sense of Differences Between Statements and Nonverbal Signals

Connection Therapy

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37. Strengthening Relationship Patterns Through Disruption and Repair show art 37. Strengthening Relationship Patterns Through Disruption and Repair

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35. Exploring Physiological Synchrony in Therapy Settings show art 35. Exploring Physiological Synchrony in Therapy Settings

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By exploring the latest research on how our nervous systems interact—whether between humans or across species—Brenda aims to provide therapists with the knowledge to deepen their connections with clients and improve therapeutic outcomes.  In recent podcast episodes, Brenda has explored how physiological interactions, both between humans and animals, can impact therapeutic outcomes. Through research on heart rate variability (HRV) and the autonomic nervous system, she reveals new ways therapists can enhance client connections and regulation during therapy. Earlier episodes laid the...

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34. Observing Physical Reactions to Strengthen Interventions show art 34. Observing Physical Reactions to Strengthen Interventions

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More Episodes

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect on what helps us feel seen, safe, and connected. And sometimes, the most powerful connection doesn’t need words at all. It begins with eye contact.


In this episode, Brenda reflects on the power of eye contact and what it tells us about connection, safety, and trust—both in our relationships with people and with animals.

We often think of eye contact as a simple social skill, but it’s so much more than that. It plays a key role in human development, emotional regulation, and communication. And as Brenda shares, it appears it may act in similar ways for animals.

Brenda walks through two studies that explore how dogs respond to human behavior—especially in moments when they need help or when we show affection in ways that might not feel safe to them. One study shows how dogs use eye contact to signal that they’re stuck and need human assistance. Another reminds us that common gestures like hugging, petting, and rough play might feel comforting to us, but can actually stress out our animal companions.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down and pay attention. If we’re going to ask animals to partner with us—especially in therapeutic settings—we have to be willing to learn how they communicate, what their signals mean, and how to respond in ways that support trust instead of assuming it.

By understanding non-verbal communication across species, we don’t just become better practitioners—we become better humans.

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References:

Cavalli, C., Carballo, F., Dzik, M. V., & Bentosela, M. (2020). Gazing as a help requesting behavior: A comparison of dogs participating in animal-assisted interventions and pet dogs. Animal Cognition, 23(1), 141–147. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10071-019-01324-8

Walsh, E. A., Meers, L. L., Samuels, W. E., Boonen, D., Claus, A., Duarte-Gan, C., Stevens, V., Contalbrigo, L., & Normando, S. (2024). Human-dog communication: How body language and non-verbal cues are key to clarity in dog directed play, petting and hugging behaviour by humans. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106206