Turkey Cuddles: Surprising Mental Health Boost?

The Gentle Barn in Southern California offers an unusual yet beneficial experience: turkey cuddle therapy. This practice, popular especially around Thanksgiving, allows visitors to connect with turkeys on a deeper level. Founder Ellie Laks explains that interacting with these birds, who have often experienced cruelty, can be profoundly healing. The therapy aims to foster a connection based on mutual consent and patience.

This unique interaction provides significant mental health benefits, as confirmed by psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis. The act of cuddling releases oxytocin, a hormone linked to feelings of well-being, while simultaneously lowering stress hormones like cortisol. Even simply sharing space with a turkey can teach mindfulness and patience, as interactions are guided by the animal's willingness. This consent-based affection can be especially therapeutic for those who have endured past trauma.

Many who participate in turkey cuddle therapy report a newfound appreciation for these intelligent birds, with some choosing to abstain from eating them. The experience at The Gentle Barn highlights the complex emotional lives of turkeys and offers a non-judgmental space for healing. Guests, like the author, often leave with a greater sense of presence and gratitude, even if their Thanksgiving dinner plans become more complicated.