How to Ask Therapist for ESA Letter – What to Know

Emotional support animals (ESA) are some of the most beneficial and helpful animal companions around today. These animals provide support and comfort to individuals with certain mental health conditions and disabilities by simply living alongside them and allowing owners to develop a care routine.

While ESAs are different from service animals in terms of their legal protections and skills – emotional support animals are not required to be trained to perform disability-related tasks like service animals – they are still valuable parts of many people’s lives.

Our article tells you how to ask a therapist for an ESA letter and what a valid ESA letter can mean for you and your emotional support animal.

What Is an ESA Letter?

An emotional support animal (ESA) letter is a letter written by a mental healthcare professional licensed in your state that attests to your need for a support animal. This letter will list a basic overview of your condition and state that the provider has been treating you for a specific condition; the letter will then list details about your emotional support animal, including the type of animal and other factors like their age, size, and history.

Your mental health care provider will sign your letter and provide details about their licensing and contact information. Specifics of your ESA letter depend on what is required by state law to be included; every state is different - working with a legitimate ESA letter provider can help make sure all requirements are met. Keep in mind that your ESA letter will typically expire after a year, and you will need to speak to your therapist about receiving a new one at this time.

Why Do I Need an ESA Letter?

Any individual who wishes for their companion animal to be legally recognized by the state and afforded federal and state-level housing protections must have a valid ESA letter. Without an ESA letter written by a mental health care professional who is licensed in your state, your companion animal may be treated as a pet. As a result, your animal will be subject to pet restrictions and breed restrictions, and you will need to pay any applicable pet fees or pet rents that a landlord imposes.

When you have an ESA letter that shows your support animal is valid, you can live in any reasonable area of housing with your companion animal to benefit from their presence.

How to Ask Therapist for ESA Letter – What to Say

If you think that you would benefit from an official emotional support animal, the first step is to make an appointment with a mental health care provider in your state or speak to your current mental health care provider. You don't have to provide a lengthy explanation or prepare to argue your case when speaking to your therapist about the need for an ESA letter - your provider is meant to be your advocate, and they will listen to your concerns and help evaluate you for an emotional support animal within your treatment plan.

At your next appointment with your therapist, simply tell them you have been considering adding an emotional support animal into your life and ask them if they would be willing to write you an ESA letter to ensure that you can keep your companion animal at your side.

Can My ESA Letter Be Denied?

It is possible for your ESA layer to be denied, but this only happens in very specific circumstances. In general, landlords must accept your ESA when you are requesting reasonable accommodations. This means that you can properly care for your emotional support animal in your chosen housing unit, and your emotional support animal does not present any serious risk of destruction to the housing unit. Your ESA must also be non-aggressive and well-behaved.

In the case that you are attempting to live with an exotic ESA, an animal that is illegal to own in your state, or an animal that does not fit in your chosen housing unit, your landlord may deny your accommodations request. Make sure you review specific ESA rights in your state to understand what can and cannot legally constitute an ESA denial.

Receiving the Support Animal Help You Need

Emotional support animals are wonderful companions; many people can benefit from the benefits that these animals bring to their lives. If you think that an ESA will help you reduce stress and increase positive feelings in your day-to-day life, your first step is to speak to your mental health care provider. Your provider can help evaluate your condition and guide you towards receiving the emotional support animal help you need.