Animal Assisted Brief Therapy

This book provides an overview of Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and demonstrates how they can be incorporated into solution-focused treatment programs. Pichot, focusing on the use of therapy dogs, starts with a discussion of the basics of AAA/T and solution-focused therapy, as well as what every practitioner should know about dogs before partnering with them. Successfully combining all of this into an effective treatment program is considered next. Pichot draws upon her own experience developing an AAA/T program in the substance abuse counseling program at a county public health agency to illustrate the effective implementation of such a program and the struggles and lessons learned in doing so. Using AAA/T with special populations, cultural considerations, and the impact a therapy dog can have on the handler. New in this edition are client scenarios that demonstrate the therapist’s thought process when making clinical decisions about when and how to use a therapy dog. Sample forms and treatment plans are also provided that professionals can use to modify or structure in their work with clients. The concepts and information provided in this valuable guide will be helpful for any therapist regardless of whether he or she is in private practice or working in an agency setting.

This book provides an overview of Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and demonstrates how they can be incorporated into solution-focused treatment programs. Pichot, focusing on the use of therapy dogs, starts with a discussion of the basics of AAA/T and solution-focused therapy, as well as what every practitioner should know about dogs before partnering with them. Successfully combining all of this into an effective treatment program is considered next. Pichot draws upon her own experience developing an AAA/T program in the substance abuse counseling program at a county public health agency to illustrate the effective implementation of such a program and the struggles and lessons learned in doing so. Using AAA/T with special populations, cultural considerations, and the impact a therapy dog can have on the handler. New in this edition are client scenarios that demonstrate the therapist’s thought process when making clinical decisions about when and how to use a therapy dog. Sample forms and treatment plans are also provided that professionals can use to modify or structure in their work with clients. The concepts and information provided in this valuable guide will be helpful for any therapist regardless of whether he or she is in private practice or working in an agency setting.

This book provides an overview of Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and demonstrates how they can be incorporated into solution-focused treatment programs. Pichot, focusing on the use of therapy dogs, starts with a discussion of the basics of AAA/T and solution-focused therapy, as well as what every practitioner should know about dogs before partnering with them. Successfully combining all of this into an effective treatment program is considered next. Pichot draws upon her own experience developing an AAA/T program in the substance abuse counseling program at a county public health agency to illustrate the effective implementation of such a program and the struggles and lessons learned in doing so. Using AAA/T with special populations, cultural considerations, and the impact a therapy dog can have on the handler. New in this edition are client scenarios that demonstrate the therapist's thought process when making clinical decisions about when and how to use a therapy dog. Sample forms and treatment plans are also provided that professionals can use to modify or structure in their work with clients. The concepts and information provided in this valuable guide will be helpful for any therapist regardless of whether he or she is in private practice or working in an agency setting.

The original edition was the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of the ways in which animals can assist therapists with treatment of specific populations, and/or in specific settings. The second edition continues in this vein, with 7 new chapters plus substantial revisions of continuing chapters as the research in this field has grown. New coverage includes: Animals as social supports, Use of AAT with Special Needs students, the role of animals in the family- insights for clinicians, and measuring the animal-person bond. *Contributions from veterinarians, animal trainers, psychologists, and social workers *Includes guidelines and best practices for using animals as therapeutic companions *Addresses specific types of patients and environmental situations

The integration of animals into the therapy setting by psychotherapists has been a growing trend. Psychological problems treated include emotional and behavioral problems, attachment issues, trauma, and developmental disorders. An influential 1970s survey suggests that over 20 percent of therapists in the psychotherapy division of the American Psychological Association incorporated animals into their treatment in some fashion. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the number is much higher today. Since Yeshiva University psychologist Boris Levinson popularized the involvement of animals in psychotherapy in the 1960s, Israel has come to be perhaps the most advanced country in the world in the area of animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP). This is true especially in the areas of academic training programs, theory-building, and clinical practice. Great effort has been put into understanding the mechanisms behind AAP, as well as into developing ethical guidelines that take into account the therapist's responsibility toward both client and animal. This book exposes the world to the theory and practice of AAP as conceived and used in Israel. It emphasizes evidence-based and clinically sound applications with psychotherapeutic goals, as differentiated from other animal-assisted interventions, such as AAE (animal-assisted education) and AAA (animal-assisted activities), which may have education or skills-oriented goals. Not just anyone with a dog can call him-or herself an animal-assisted therapist. This volume demonstrates not only the promise of animal-assisted psychotherapeutic approaches, but also some of the challenges the field still needs to overcome to gain widespread legitimacy.

Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling is the most comprehensive book available dedicated to training mental health practitioners in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). It explains the history and practice of AAT in counseling, discusses the latest empirical research, and provides an in-depth explanation of the psychodynamics of AAT within various theoretical frameworks. Readers will learn the proper way to select, train, and evaluate an animal for therapy. The use of a number of different therapy animals is considered, including dogs, cats, horses, birds, farm animals, rabbits and other small animals, and dolphins. Guidelines for implementing AAT in settings such as private practices, community agencies, schools, hospices, and prisons are covered, as well as ethical and legal considerations, risk management, diversity issues, and crisis and disaster response applications. Numerous case examples illustrate the use of AAT principles with clients, and forms, client handouts, and other resources provide valuable tools. This unique resource is an indispensable guide for any counselor looking to develop and implement AAT techniques in his or her practice.

Human beings have always been affected by their surroundings. There are various health benefits linked to being able to access to nature; including increased physical activity, stress recovery, and the stimulation of child cognitive development. The Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health provides a broad and inclusive picture of the relationship between our own health and the natural environment. All aspects of this unique relationship are covered, ranging from disease prevention through physical activity in green spaces to innovative ecosystem services, such as climate change adaptation by urban trees. Potential hazardous consequences are also discussed including natural disasters, vector-borne pathogens, and allergies. This book analyses the complexity of our human interaction with nature and includes sections for example epigenetics, stress physiology, and impact assessments. These topics are all interconnected and fundamental for reaching a full understanding of the role of nature in public health and wellbeing. Much of the recent literature on environmental health has primarily described potential threats from our natural surroundings. The Oxford Textbook of Nature and Public Health instead focuses on how nature can positively impact our health and wellbeing, and how much we risk losing by destroying it. The all-inclusive approach provides a comprehensive and complete coverage of the role of nature in public health, making this textbook invaluable reading for health professionals, students, and researchers within public health, environmental health, and complementary medicine.