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This section features selected articles by Renata Roma exploring the human–animal bond, grief, anxiety, and mental health.

Bridging research and clinical practice

Some of my writing explores themes that are also central to my clinical work, including grief, emotional bonds, anxiety, and the role of companion animals in people’s lives. Through platforms such as Psychology Today and The Conversation, I aim to make these conversations more accessible while staying grounded in research and clinical experience. These perspectives often inform my therapeutic approach, shaping how I understand and support clients, as well as how I approach the therapeutic process.

This includes a particular focus on pet loss, the human–animal bond, and the ways these relationships intersect with mental health and experiences of anxiety.

Selected Media Articles

Roma, R. (2026, March 25). Do you love sleeping with your pet? Science reveals there’s a tricky trade-off. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, September 29). Pet guardians are increasingly worried about the mental health of their dogs and cats. The Conversation. Read here.

Roma, R (2025, August 04). Why your pet influences your decisions more than you think. The Wag. Read here.

Roma, R. (October, 2025). Mortes de pets podem levar a luto mais intenso do que a perda de parentes, aponta pesquisa (Pet deaths can lead to more intense grief than the loss of relatives, study finds). Folha de São Paulo. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, July 29). Animais de estimação estão influenciando cada vez mais as decisões de vida de seus tutores (Pets are increasingly influencing their guardians’ major life decisions). The Conversation. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, June 5). Do people really resemble their dogs? The Conversation. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, May 26). Promoting social inclusion through pet companionship. The Conversation. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, April 29th). Animais têm direitos? O caso do cão Tokinho marca um avanço histórico no Brasil (Do animals have rights? The case of Tokinho marks a historic step forward in Brazil). Read here.

Dadgardoust, L. Roma, R. (2025, April 15th). Animal abuse often signals human abuse – should therapists be allowed to report it? Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, April 07th). O que diferencia alguém que ama animais de quem não sente essa conexão? (What differentiates someone who loves animals from someone who doesn’t feel that connection?) The Conversation Brazil. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, March 25th). More than just an animal: Losing a pet deserves more attention and compassion. The conversation. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, March 21th). Como os cães sincronizam conosco e como melhorar nossa sintonia com eles (How dogs sync with us and we can improve our connection with them). The Conversation Brazil. Read here.

Roma, R. (2025, March 13th). Terapia pet: estudos reforçam importância do acesso de bichos de estimação a serviços públicos de saúde. (Pet therapy: studies show the importance of pets’ access to public health services). The Conversation Brazil. Read here.

Roma, R.; Dadgardoust, L. (2025, March 3rd). The overlooked bond: Why mental health professionals should ask questions about pets. The Conversation. Read here.

Dadgardoust, L., Dell, C., Roma, R. (2024, June 4th). Studying violence toward women and animals can help us develop strategies to prevent both. The Conversation. Read here.

Roma, R. (2023, May 8th). For better or worse, your dog’s behaviours can impact your quality of life. The Conversation. Read here.