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Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling

• By Cynthia K. Chandler

• Price: $90.00
• Binding: Hardback
• Pages: 256
• Published by: Routledge
• Publication Date: 13th June 2005
• ISBN: 978-0-415-95173-9

About the Book

This book delineates Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) counseling techniques. Supported by case examples, the book explains how to select, train and evaluate an animal for therapy work. The book examines ethical considerations and risk management, provides a history of AAT, and discusses the latest empirical research in the field. The author also includes guidelines for establishing a university-based program for AAT training. Sample forms to be used in screening clients and recording session data are included as well as five separate illustrations (line drawings of animals) to facilitate some of the recommended AAT techniques. This book is designed for use in training courses for AAT in counseling and related programs (such as social work, psychology, and rehabilitation counseling). To date, there is no book dedicated to teaching techniques specific to AAT. This book will fill that need.

Table of Contents

. An Introduction to Animal Assisted Therapy. Description of Animal Assisted Therapy. The Human-Animal Connection. Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy. Risks Involved with Animal Assisted Therapy. Historical Highlights of Animal Assisted Therapy. Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling: A New Frontier Therapy. Research in Animal Assisted Counseling. Psychophysiological Health. Anxiety and Distress. Dementia. Depression. Motivation. Self- esteem Enhancement. Children in Pediatric Hospitals. Children with Developmental Disorders. Children and Adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Problems. The Elderly and Nursing Home Residents. Physically Disabled Persons. Psychiatric Patients. Conclusions. Selecting an Animal for Therapy Work. Therapy Dogs. Selecting a Puppy for Therapy Work. Therapy Cats. Therapy Horses. Small Therapy Animals. Therapy Farm Animals. Training a Pet for Therapy Work. Socialization. Touch Desensitization. Obedience Training. Teaching Special Skills and Trick Training. Evaluation of a Pet for Therapy Work. American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test. Therapy Dogs International Testing Requirements. Delta Society Pet Partner Evaluation. Pet Partners Aptitude Test. Pet Partners Skills Test. Tuskegee Behavior Test. Risk Management in Animal Assisted Counseling. Professional Disclosure and Informed Consent to Participate in AAT. Client Screening for Animal Assisted Therapy. Recognizing Stress in Therapy Animals. Understanding Your Pet's Communication. Preventing Injury and Infection During AAT. Preparing the Pet for a Therapy Visit. Ethical Considerations for AAT. Dangers for Animals in Elderly Residential Care Facilities. Dangers for Animals in Institutionally Based Residential Programs. Concerns for Animals in Visitation Programs. Concerns for Wild (nondomesticated) Animal Programs. Animal Assisted Counseling Techniques. Animals as a Surrogate for Therapeutic Touch. Animal Assisted Rapport Building. Animal Assisted Psychosocial Goals and Techniques. Animal Facilitated Life Stage Development. A Typical Animal Assisted Counseling Session. Introducing the Pet Practitioner. Animal Assisted Basic Relational Techniques. Accessing Feelings through the use of AAT. Family History Gathering with AAT. Animal Assisted Interventions and Clinical Diagnoses. Animal Assisted Metaphor. Animal Assisted Play Therapy. Equine Assisted Counseling. The Therapeutic Zoo. Termination Issues in Animal Assisted Counseling. Documentation and AAT. Program Evaluation and AAT. Sensitivity to Cultural Differences and Populations with Special Needs. Cultural Differences in Attitudes about Animals. Animal Assisted Counseling with Elderly Clients. Animal Assisted Counseling with Hospitalized and Hospice Clients. Animal Assisted Counseling with Persons in Prisons and Detention Centers. A Residential Animal Assisted Therapy Program in Prison. Juvenile Detention Programs with Animal Assisted Therapy. Crisis Response Counseling with Therapy Animals. Therapy Dogs Make the Best Crisis Response Pet Practitioners. The Nature of Crisis. Crisis Response Safety. Become a Recognized Crisis Response Counselor with your Pet. The Nature of Crisis Response Counseling. Form an Animal Assisted Crisis Response Counseling Team. Establishing a School-based Program for Animal Assisted Therapy and Education. Guidelines for AAT Program Development. Types of AAT School-based Programs. How to Solicit Funding for Your AAT Program. How to Report on the Progress of your AAT Program. Establishing and Maintaining a University-based AAT Training Program. Seeking Approval and Establishing Policy for an AAT Program. Obtaining AAT Credentials. Being a Role Model: Practicing Animal Assisted Counseling. Developing a University Course in AAT. Course Description. Course Objectives. Course Content and Resources. Involving the Community in AAT. Establishing a Center for AAT. Creating AAT Student Internships in the Community. Serving as an Educational Resource for AAT. Gaining National and International Recognition for Your AAT Program. An Intercultural AAT Experience: Examining the Human-animal Connection in South Korea. A History of the Human-animal Connection in South Korea. The Human Animal Connection in the 21st century: A New Era for South Korea. International Information Exchange and Relationship Building. Defining the Role and Scope of AAT in South Korea. References. Appendices.

About the Author(s)

Cynthia K. Chandler, Ed.D., LPC, MFT, earned her doctoral degree from Texas Tech University. She teaches at the University of North Texas (UNT) in the Department of Counseling, Development and Higher Education. She developed and directs the Center for Animal Assisted Therapy at the university and developed the first and only course in this subject at UNT. She is a nationally certified biofeedback and neurofeedback therapist and supervisor. She is a nationally certified Pet Partner with Delta Society with her dog, Rusty, and cat, Snowflake, and is a licensed Delta Society Pet Partner Instructor, AAT Instructor, and Animal Team Evaluator.