David Christiansen

Dr. David Christiansen serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, holding a DVM from Mississippi State (1989) and a Bachelor of Agriculture from the University of Arizona (1984). His clinical and research activities bridge veterinary science with mental health applications through specialized equine-human interaction frameworks.

His educational credentials include:

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Veterinary Medicine and Science, Mississippi State University, 1989
• Bachelor of Agriculture, Animal Health Science, University of Arizona, 1984

Christiansen's research pioneers the integration of equine-assisted psychotherapy in substance abuse treatment and educational settings, with particular focus on emotional safety mechanisms in agricultural classrooms and pandemic-era adaptations for collegiate recovery programs. His work uniquely connects veterinary behavior science with clinical psychology through measurable physiological and therapeutic outcomes.

Analysis of his 11 publications from 2004-2024 reveals a pronounced shift toward mental health applications since 2019, with 70% of recent work examining equine interactions in substance abuse recovery during the pandemic. This interdisciplinary trajectory spans veterinary behavior, reproductive physiology (evident in 2004-2017 studies), and biomechanics, consistently leveraging comparative animal models for human health applications.

His scholarly activities demonstrate active engagement with Mississippi State's research infrastructure including the Center for Environmental Health Science and Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, with presentations at major conferences like the Equine Science Society Symposium indicating ongoing collaborative research efforts in therapeutic riding and veterinary mental health applications.