The Healing Power of Pets Presented by: Paige Smith & Amanda Lange Amanda Lange Masters program at U mary Kids therapy center Why AAT for me Paige Guests introduce yourself. Name Location of work or internship Title Experience with animal assisted therapy/knowledge

Table of Contents Introduction Definition of Trauma Types of Animals used in Counseling Impact of Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling How to Get Certified How to Certify Your Dog Questions References

Introduction Difference between Animal assisted activities (AAA) Animal assisted therapy (AAT) Animal assisted therapy in counseling (AAT-C) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW52mdoI-W8 Animal assisted activities (AAA) involve specially trained and qualified volunteer animal-handler teams providing services that improve quality of life through ‘meet and greet’ style interactions. Examples of this include, but are not limited to: reading assistance dog programs in schools, therapy animal visits in hospitals and nursing home facilities, or therapy dog visits to college campuses during final exams. Although animal assisted therapy (AAT) may share some of AAA’s benefits, it differs in that it is a goal directed intervention applied by a health/human service provider with appropriate training and expertise within the provider’s scope of practice (Pet Partners, 2012). Examples of this kind of work can be found in physical therapy Animal assisted therapy in counseling (AAT-C) is defined as the incorporation of specially trained and evaluated animals as therapeutic agents into the counseling process, whereby, professional counselors use the human-animal bond in goal-directed interventions and as part of the treatment process Talk about the video- cortesal decreases and dopmine increases, motivation (Stewart & Chang, 2013) (Carrier Clinic, 2015)

Trauma SAMHSA describes individual trauma as resulting from "an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being." TALK ABOUT TRAUMA SEEN IN THE CLINIC Death of parents Terminal illness with parents Death of siblings Divorce/Custody Children removed due to abuse or drug use of the parents A lifetime history of sexual abuse among women in childhood or adulthood ranges from 15% to 25%. The prevalence of domestic violence among women in the United States ranges from 9% to 44%, depending on definitions. The cost of intimate partner violence, which disproportionately affects women and girls, was estimated to be $8.3 billion in 2003. This total includes the costs of medical care, mental health services, and lost productivity In a 2008 study by RAND, 18.5% of returning veterans reported symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. In the United States, 18.9% of men and 15.2% of women reported a lifetime experience of a natural disaster.

Types of Animals Used Most popular type of animal used in counseling Dogs and horses Additional animals utilized in counseling Llamas Guinea Pigs Cats Rabbits Pot-Bellied Pigs Exotic Birds ( Stewart, Bach-Gorman, Harris, Crews, & Chang, 2013) Dogs and horse are a popular choice among practitioners utilizing AAT-C, but many other species of domestic animals such as, llamas, rabbits, guinea pigs, and cats are also eligible for registration as therapy animals. But not limited to the list above MEET THE NEEDs of client- be aware of allergies and potentional fears of animals. When practiced with appropriate training and expertise, AAT-C can positively impact the therapeutic process of a wide variety of client populations and its flexibility allows it to be useful in many different treatment settings

The Impact of Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling Enhance the counseling process Increased genuineness Opportunity for the inclusion of therapeutic touch Access to experiences and topics that would be otherwise difficult or impossible to discuss (Stewart et al., 2013) Facilitates client disclosure Mandated clients Fearful clients Survivors of trauma Decreased the need for language in therapy Children and non-verbal populations Express painful or emotionally charged experiences (Stewart & Chang, 2013) AAT-C may decrease the need for language in therapy (Reichert, 1998) thus being useful with children and non-verbal populations, as well as with clients who may wish to express painful or emotionally charged experiences through physical interactions with the animal rather than through verbal exchanges with the professional counselor (Fine, 2006). AAT has also been observed to facilitate client disclosure (Chandler, 2005; Reichert, 1998; Stewart & Chang, 2012) thus being helpful with mandated clients, fearful clients and survivors of trauma. In addition to being competent in general counseling, the counselor must have both AAT-C related hard and soft skills. Hard skills are those that are shared by animal professionals across disciplines and are relevant to species-specific animal expertise. Hard skills include a clear understanding of positive methods of animal training and handling, competency in identifying and interpreting the animal’s communication signals, and ability to provide high-quality animal care . Soft skills are those that are specific to mental health professionals and are relevant to the intentional application of AAT-C as a therapeutic intervention. Soft skills include the ability to integrate AAT-C into existing counseling practices and the ability to facilitate human-animal interaction in ways that are not only safe, but also therapeutically meaningful . For more information about the adaptations and skills necessary for the ethical and competent practice of AAT-C, Talk about how a large portation of clients have experienced trauma. In corporating AAT c with chemical health and mental health.

How to get Certified Many different programs around the United States. All require coursework in specific areas such as: Animal Assisted Therapy The Human-Animal Bond Animal Training Training your Therapy Dog Certification Program Locations: University of Denver (in Colorado) The Animal Behavior Institute Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado Camden County College (New Jersey) Oakland University (in Michigan) Harcum College (in Pennsylvania) Do your research prior to enrolling in any courses or programs! The University of Denver (in Colorado) offers an Animal & Human Health certificate that requires one on-campus course and three online courses. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in animal-assisted therapy. The program cost is $3,000 (lodging and travel costs for the campus portion are not included). The Animal Behavior Institute offers a certificate program in animal-assisted therapy that is conducted entirely online. The certificate is designed for those working as therapists, social workers, educators, and healthcare workers. The program involves five courses that take 10 weeks each to complete. The total program cost is $5,550 plus the cost of textbooks or other class materials. Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado offers a certificate in animal-assisted psychotherapy (CAAP). The program is designed for mental health professionals and students with an interest in animal-assisted interventions. Students must attend a three-day intensive workshop (near Denver) and then complete the rest of the coursework online at their own pace. The course is eligible for continuing education credit hours. Applicants must have an advanced degree in the mental health field, or be currently pursuing such a degree. The total program cost is $2,500. Camden County College offers an animal-assisted therapy program based out of its New Jersey campus. The Survey Course in Animal Assisted Therapy & Animal Assisted Activities requires participation in 10 Saturday morning sessions that include field trips, demonstrations, lectures, and videos. Continuing education credits are available. The total program cost is $400. Oakland University (in Michigan) offers a distance learning animal-assisted therapy program. The 2 and a half -semester program is conducted online and takes about a year to complete. Students are required to write a full animal therapy business plan at the conclusion of the course. The program costs $1,495. Harcum College (in Pennsylvania) offers a distance learning certificate course in animal-assisted therapy. The 10-week program is completed at the student’s own pace and includes reading assignments, discussions, essays, and two site visits to organizations in their community that utilize animal-assisted therapy. The course may provide continuing education credits or help a candidate expand their work in psychology, healthcare, or rehabilitation. Participants are not required to have a specific degree or prior training. Total program cost is $950. (Lynsen, 2014) http://www.animaledu.com/Programs/Animal-Assisted-Therapy?d=1

Certifying Your Dog Therapy dog vs. Service dog Programs for dogs: Pet Partners Therapy Dogs International Therapy Dogs Inc. Many programs include both hands on and online courses for you and your dog. Fees (some of which are yearly) can include liability insurance for you and your dog. Qualifications for your pet: Dogs must be a minimum of 1-2 years old Pass exams from a vet and the program House trained Be currently vaccinated against rabies. May not be fed a raw meat diet. Have no history of aggression or seriously injuring either people or other animals. Demonstrate good basic obedience skills. Welcome, not merely tolerate, interactions with strangers. Therapy dogs are dogs who go with their owners to settings such as schools, hospitals, counseling offices, and nursing homes. From working with a child who is learning to read to visiting a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the lives of other people. Therapy dogs are not service dogs. Service dogs are dogs who are specially trained to perform specific tasks to help a person who has a disability. An example of a service dog is a dog who guides an owner who is blind, or a dog who assists someone who has a physical disability. Service dogs stay with their person and have special access privileges in public places such as on planes, restaurants, etc. It is unethical to attempt to pass off a therapy dog as a service dog for purposes such as flying on a plane or being admitted to a restaurant. Pet Partners, formerly known as the Delta Society, registers teams of handlers and animals. To become registered, an individual and their pet must complete a handler course in person (8 hours) or online, pass a screening by a veterinarian, pass an evaluation, and pay the two-year membership fee (which includes liability insurance). Therapy Dogs International registers therapy dogs that can pass a two-phase, thirteen exercise testing process. Animals will be exposed to a variety of test situations including children playing, adults using walkers, and several people approaching the dog simultaneously. The dogs must also meet all health requirements, including an annual vet visit and up to date vaccinations. There is a $10 testing fee per dog. Therapy Dogs Inc. registers therapy dogs that are well behaved and able to pass evaluations by a veterinarian and a tester/observer. The handler must also pass inspection by the tester/observer. Dues are $30 per year for a handler/dog team which includes liability insurance. Programs such as The American Kennel Club have certification programs for therapy dogs, however they are not therapy programs for dogs, however they do not certify therapy dogs due to this being an area of expertise. Dogs must be a minimum of one year old to be tested. The dog must be healthy. The Evaluation begins as soon as the Evaluator is able to observe you and your dog, not only when you are going through the test requirements as a dog/handler team. Are at least one year old at the time of evaluation, or six months old for rabbits, guinea pigs, and rats. Have lived in the owner’s home for at least six months, or one year for birds. Must be reliably house trained. Waste collection devices are not permitted, with the exception of flight suits for birds. Be currently vaccinated against rabies. Rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and birds are exempt from this requirement. Dogs may not be fed a raw meat diet. Have no history of aggression or seriously injuring either people or other animals. This includes animals who have been trained to aggressively protect and/or have been encouraged to bite, even if it is a component of dog sport, such as Schutzhund. Demonstrate good basic obedience skills. Animals walking with a lead should walk on a loose leash, and respond reliably to common commands such as “sit,” “down,” “stay,” “come,” and “leave it.” Welcome, not merely tolerate, interactions with strangers. (Lynsen,2014)

Conclusion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQhekMwIAKY (Run and Gun Media, 2017) What a session looks like with AATc The client tells telly their story

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

References Carrier Clinic. (2015, February 18). Animal Assisted Therapy: How pet therapy works. Blake Recovery Center at Carrier Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW52mdoI-W8 Lynsen, A. (2014, June 20). Trauma and Violence. Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://www.samhsa.gov/trauma-violence Run and Gun Media. ( 2017, January 5). More Than A Job: Animal Assisted Therapist. Run and Gun Media. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQhekMwIAKY Stewart L., Bach-Gorman A., Harris C., Crews J., & Chang C.Y., ( October, 2013). VISTAS Online. Animal Assisted Therapy Interventions in Supervision: Building Alliances and Promoting Discussion. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/vistas/animal-assisted-therapy.pdf?sfvrsn=a3db432c_8 Stewart L. & Chang C.Y. (2012) American Counseling Association. Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling. Retrieved from https://canvas.umary.edu/courses/10718/files/1292515?module_item_id=678485 Understanding the Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapies. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://americanaddictioncenters.org/therapy-treatment/animal-assisted/

Contact Information Page Smith pesmith1@umary.edu 952-237-0415 Amanda Lange ajlange@outlook.com 701-226-4341