Self-regulation allows individuals to manage their bodily states, emotions, behaviors, and thoughts effectively. In sum, adequate self-regulation leads to better decision-making, goal achievement, and overall well-being. Moreover, it plays a crucial role in personal and professional success, relationships, and mental health. Self-regulation is mainly about managing impulses, staying focused, adapting to changing circumstances, and maintaining self-control under challenge. Co-regulation describes the shared process of regulation, in which one individual supports another coping with emotions, behaviors, or physiological arousal through affiliative interaction. Across many social species, bodily and mental states can be mirrored by others, thereby paving the way for emotional contagion and physiological synchronization. This phenomenon is facilitated through facial and body expressions, vocalizations, internal processes and social interaction. As animal handlers (either in the context of animal-assisted services or assistance animals) we are obliged to safeguard the well-being of our animals. However, as a first step to do so, we need to feel safe and secure ourselves. In this talk, I introduce TRE® (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises) as an innovative method to resolve tension and promote relaxation in both humans and animals.

Lisa Maria Glenk has a Background in Molecular Biology and Veterinary Science. Her Research and Teaching Interest is centered on Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Psychophysiology, Human–animal Interaction and Emotions. She is currently lecturing at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Human–Animal Interactions) and the University College for Agricultural and Environmental Education (Green Care Master’s Program). Additional Activities: Certified Biofeedback Practitioner, Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) Provider, Science Communicator, Animal-assisted Services Professional, Scientific Advisory Board Member of the “Qualitätsnetzwerk Schulbegleithunde”, Reviewer for the International Society of Animal-Assisted Therapy (ISAAT).