Wonderful article written by Joseph Burgo, Ph.D. who has practiced psychotherapy for more than 30 years, holding licenses as a marriage and family therapist and clinical psychologist.

“…Although Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic method encourages the analyst to present a blank screen, concealing all details of his personal life, thoughts and feelings, Freud himself practiced from his home and included Jo-Fi, his favorite chow chow, in many of his sessions. Freud supposedly relied on his pet’s reaction to a client for help in assessing the person’s character. He also felt that a dog’s presence helped to calm his clients.”

NOVOSIBIRSK, Russia (Reuters) – Ryzhik, a scruffy red tabby cat, was found on the streets of the Siberian city of Tomsk in the blistering cold, his four paws completely frozen.

He would have been the latest victim of Siberia’s unforgiving winter had he not be found by animal protection volunteers and brought to Russian veterinarian Sergei Gorshkov in Novosibirsk, some 200 kilometres (130 miles) away.

Two years later Ryzhik leads a normal life at Gorshkov’s clinic, hobbling around on four prosthetic limbs. They were implanted using a technique similar to one used for dental implants for people. Go HEREto Reuters to see the entire article.