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Learning from dolphins
ARTICLE IN PRESS Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery (2004) 10, 61–63
Learning from dolphins Jacqui Stringer* Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK
KEYWORDS Dolphins; Intuition;
Summary Dolphins have been shown to have a powerful impact on the wellbeing of humans, how do they do it? This article reflects the thoughts of one person after spending time with these wonderful creatures.
Learning; Complementary medicine; Healing
& 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
This is a reflective account after the author spent an inspirational day in the company of the dolphins living at the Dolphin Research Center (DRC)1, Grassy Key, Florida, USA. Through a travelling Fellowship awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, I had the opportunity to work with Dr Tiffany Field and her team at the Touch Research Institutes in Miami. I wanted to take advantage of my time there to also learn more about dolphins. It is claimed that dolphins are recognised for their ability to aid healing in humans,1 yet their oftenpowerful effects are achieved without the ability to communicate in a language that we understand. How do they do it? Having observed the dolphins for a day and read of the things they have achieved, I propose that a possible reason for their ability is their use of instinct, which is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as; an ‘inborn pattern of behaviour, innate impulse, intuition’. Instinct or intuition (immediate understanding by mind without reasoning) is something, which in this age of science and technology we have learnt to mistrust, like the redundant appendix. We feel vulnerable relying on intuition and many dismiss it as non-existent because it is immeasurable. Yet the best ‘healers’ are those who instinctively respond to others with compassion and understanding. They are ‘naturally’ good in their role. Such people are admired and respected *Tel.: þ 44-161-446-3524; fax: þ 44-161-446-3940. 1 www.dolphins.org. 1353-6117/$ - see front matter & 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/S1353-6117(03)00103-3
for their abilities, yet these are often put down to experience, education or authority. Whilst this maybe part of the tale it is by no means the whole story, there are many practitioners with just as much experience, education or authority who do not inspire such responses. The DRC dolphins have achieved incredible things with children and adults alike. Over the last 15 years families have been coming to the DRC for support in coping with a variety of problems from autism to cancer, depression to cerebral palsy. To illustrate certain points I quote sections from case studies and discussions I had with the DRC Special Needs Coordinator Kat Campbell. The Special Needs Project started in 1988 with Dr David Nathanson, who wanted to explore whether exposure to dolphins could improve the attention span and thus the learning ability of children with disabilities such as Down’s syndrome. His hypothesis proved correct and was such a success that he ended up with a 7 year waiting list! His legacy has expanded enormously into today’s ‘not for profit’ education and research center (see Figs. 1–3). As with humans, much of the dolphins’ skill can be explained in other ways, for example they are aided by the trainers in their responses to the families through guiding hand signals. The trainers, together with a therapist appropriate to the families specific needs (the center has a network of such therapists) create a tailored programme aimed at either enhancing certain physiological/ psychological abilities, or focusing on problem
ARTICLE IN PRESS 62
J. Stringer
Figs. 1–3 Dolphins doing what they do bestFhaving fun.
ARTICLE IN PRESS Learning from dolphins
areas for the ‘patient’. Apart from instruction, the dolphins have a powerful tool in their inherent ability to echo locate. Echolocation allows them, through a series of clicks, to monitor their environment. It works like an ultrasound scan which means that they can also perceive what is happening inside the body and can identify deformities, pins, plates and so on. An example of this relates to one of the trainers who has given birth to 2 children whilst working at the DRC. In both cases the dolphins ‘told’ her she was pregnant before a doctor confirmed it, the way they did this? by coming up and persistently butting her abdomen gently. However, their willingness to respond to the trainer’s requests and their own remarkable physical skills are not the whole story, they will often intuitively devise ways to adapt their routines to the disabilities of the swimmer: As one trainer commented: Sometimes the dolphins’ accommodating behaviour is so efficient, it leaves us in awe. The dolphin Tursi, blind in one eye herself, uncharacteristically emitted loud clicks throughout a swim with a boy who was blind, as if she somehow understood it was critical for him to find hery . When a woman, struggling to regain use of her hands, became frustrated at her inability to hold onto Nat’s dorsal fin, Nat swam his fin into the crook of her elbow and together they invented the elbow dorsal tow to her unabashed joy.
Time and time again trainers and therapists at the DRC were amazed at the sensitivity of the dolphins and let them take over a session. Another therapist commented: Danny visited us as a young boy, deaf and almost completely blind. His parents brought him to DRC in the hope that the dolphins would provide him with the incentive to interact with his environment. Suddenly, Danny put out his hand, right over Little Bit’s blowhole. Dolphins can be sensitive about hands close to
63
their breathing passage, and the trainer winced, hoping Little Bit would not reject the boys initial advances. However, Little Bit began making noises from her blowhole: whistling, chirping and singing. Although Danny could not hear them, he could feel the different vibrations as she moved through her vocal repertoire. As his face lit up with joy, his parents told us this was the first time in over a year that they had seen him smile. Although dolphins tend to get bored very easily by repetitive behaviours, Little Bit stayed there for the whole twenty-minute session, only backing up occasionally to take a breath, then returning to her station in front of Danny. Could she sense that this was one way she could communicate with Danny? We’ll never know for sure, but her daughter, Tursi, repeated the same type of interaction the next day, much to Danny’s delight.
How those dolphins understood to stay and let what was to them, a potentially dangerous situation continued will remain a mystery. My feeling is that they respond intuitively. I believe that we could learn from them in the broadest sense of the word. They appear to have emotions such as: joy, excitement, arousal, anger, fear, concern and tenderness, which they communicate to humans most effectively and they respond to them naturally. Often the most responsive and intuitive human is the child. It is time to listen to our ‘child within’ and respond to our intuition, not ignore it because it is as yet immeasurable.
References 1. Nathanson DE. Using Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in increase cognition of mentally retarded children. In: Lovibond P, Wilson P, editors. Clinical and abnormal psychology. NorthHolland: Elsevier Science Publishers; 1989. p. 233–42.
Learning from dolphins Jacqui Stringer* Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK
KEYWORDS Dolphins; Intuition;
Summary Dolphins have been shown to have a powerful impact on the wellbeing of humans, how do they do it? This article reflects the thoughts of one person after spending time with these wonderful creatures.
Learning; Complementary medicine; Healing
& 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
This is a reflective account after the author spent an inspirational day in the company of the dolphins living at the Dolphin Research Center (DRC)1, Grassy Key, Florida, USA. Through a travelling Fellowship awarded by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, I had the opportunity to work with Dr Tiffany Field and her team at the Touch Research Institutes in Miami. I wanted to take advantage of my time there to also learn more about dolphins. It is claimed that dolphins are recognised for their ability to aid healing in humans,1 yet their oftenpowerful effects are achieved without the ability to communicate in a language that we understand. How do they do it? Having observed the dolphins for a day and read of the things they have achieved, I propose that a possible reason for their ability is their use of instinct, which is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as; an ‘inborn pattern of behaviour, innate impulse, intuition’. Instinct or intuition (immediate understanding by mind without reasoning) is something, which in this age of science and technology we have learnt to mistrust, like the redundant appendix. We feel vulnerable relying on intuition and many dismiss it as non-existent because it is immeasurable. Yet the best ‘healers’ are those who instinctively respond to others with compassion and understanding. They are ‘naturally’ good in their role. Such people are admired and respected *Tel.: þ 44-161-446-3524; fax: þ 44-161-446-3940. 1 www.dolphins.org. 1353-6117/$ - see front matter & 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/S1353-6117(03)00103-3
for their abilities, yet these are often put down to experience, education or authority. Whilst this maybe part of the tale it is by no means the whole story, there are many practitioners with just as much experience, education or authority who do not inspire such responses. The DRC dolphins have achieved incredible things with children and adults alike. Over the last 15 years families have been coming to the DRC for support in coping with a variety of problems from autism to cancer, depression to cerebral palsy. To illustrate certain points I quote sections from case studies and discussions I had with the DRC Special Needs Coordinator Kat Campbell. The Special Needs Project started in 1988 with Dr David Nathanson, who wanted to explore whether exposure to dolphins could improve the attention span and thus the learning ability of children with disabilities such as Down’s syndrome. His hypothesis proved correct and was such a success that he ended up with a 7 year waiting list! His legacy has expanded enormously into today’s ‘not for profit’ education and research center (see Figs. 1–3). As with humans, much of the dolphins’ skill can be explained in other ways, for example they are aided by the trainers in their responses to the families through guiding hand signals. The trainers, together with a therapist appropriate to the families specific needs (the center has a network of such therapists) create a tailored programme aimed at either enhancing certain physiological/ psychological abilities, or focusing on problem
ARTICLE IN PRESS 62
J. Stringer
Figs. 1–3 Dolphins doing what they do bestFhaving fun.
ARTICLE IN PRESS Learning from dolphins
areas for the ‘patient’. Apart from instruction, the dolphins have a powerful tool in their inherent ability to echo locate. Echolocation allows them, through a series of clicks, to monitor their environment. It works like an ultrasound scan which means that they can also perceive what is happening inside the body and can identify deformities, pins, plates and so on. An example of this relates to one of the trainers who has given birth to 2 children whilst working at the DRC. In both cases the dolphins ‘told’ her she was pregnant before a doctor confirmed it, the way they did this? by coming up and persistently butting her abdomen gently. However, their willingness to respond to the trainer’s requests and their own remarkable physical skills are not the whole story, they will often intuitively devise ways to adapt their routines to the disabilities of the swimmer: As one trainer commented: Sometimes the dolphins’ accommodating behaviour is so efficient, it leaves us in awe. The dolphin Tursi, blind in one eye herself, uncharacteristically emitted loud clicks throughout a swim with a boy who was blind, as if she somehow understood it was critical for him to find hery . When a woman, struggling to regain use of her hands, became frustrated at her inability to hold onto Nat’s dorsal fin, Nat swam his fin into the crook of her elbow and together they invented the elbow dorsal tow to her unabashed joy.
Time and time again trainers and therapists at the DRC were amazed at the sensitivity of the dolphins and let them take over a session. Another therapist commented: Danny visited us as a young boy, deaf and almost completely blind. His parents brought him to DRC in the hope that the dolphins would provide him with the incentive to interact with his environment. Suddenly, Danny put out his hand, right over Little Bit’s blowhole. Dolphins can be sensitive about hands close to
63
their breathing passage, and the trainer winced, hoping Little Bit would not reject the boys initial advances. However, Little Bit began making noises from her blowhole: whistling, chirping and singing. Although Danny could not hear them, he could feel the different vibrations as she moved through her vocal repertoire. As his face lit up with joy, his parents told us this was the first time in over a year that they had seen him smile. Although dolphins tend to get bored very easily by repetitive behaviours, Little Bit stayed there for the whole twenty-minute session, only backing up occasionally to take a breath, then returning to her station in front of Danny. Could she sense that this was one way she could communicate with Danny? We’ll never know for sure, but her daughter, Tursi, repeated the same type of interaction the next day, much to Danny’s delight.
How those dolphins understood to stay and let what was to them, a potentially dangerous situation continued will remain a mystery. My feeling is that they respond intuitively. I believe that we could learn from them in the broadest sense of the word. They appear to have emotions such as: joy, excitement, arousal, anger, fear, concern and tenderness, which they communicate to humans most effectively and they respond to them naturally. Often the most responsive and intuitive human is the child. It is time to listen to our ‘child within’ and respond to our intuition, not ignore it because it is as yet immeasurable.
References 1. Nathanson DE. Using Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in increase cognition of mentally retarded children. In: Lovibond P, Wilson P, editors. Clinical and abnormal psychology. NorthHolland: Elsevier Science Publishers; 1989. p. 233–42.