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

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.

This book will provide the reader with a well rounded understanding of animal-assisted therapy, or "pet therapy." Animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic tool that is used to faciliate the client's treatment and recovery process. Some of the people who will benefit from reading this book include counselors, school counselors, social workers, educators, students, and anyone interested in animal-assisted therapy. Teachers may implement this book in their instructional materials. Authors, books, journals, articles, and resources have been consolidated into a descriptive designed graduate level thesis. There is a detailed table of contents that will allow the reader to quickly access the section he or she is looking for. A glossary consisting of animal-assisted therapy topics is provided. This book reads easily and will engage the reader. Ways to integrate land and marine mammals into the client's treatment will be shown, as well as kinds of land and marine mammals to be utilized. Animal-assisted therapy may be utilized with many clinical diagnoses and therapeutic issues. There are many types of facilities that may benefit from animal-assisted therapy. Examples and further explanation will be given addressing these topics. Basic tenets, ethical issues, and certification will be explained. Within the helping professions, ethics are vital and certification has become mandatory in many states. The needs of the client, the clinician, and the animal will be discussed. Benefits of animal-assisted therapy will be included. Resources that will facilitate the implementation of animal-assisted therapy will be shown. The reader who would like to pursue animal-assisted therapy in further detail will be given additional resources. The goal of this descriptive designed graduate level thesis was to consolidate many good works into one book. As time advances, the material presented in this book will continue to be useful.

The fourth edition of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling is the most comprehensive book available dedicated to training mental health practitioners in the performance of animal-assisted therapy in counseling. This edition includes material on real-world animal-assisted interventions featuring counselor-client dialogues and sample therapeutic opportunities. Each chapter includes the most recent research and practice, and a wide variety of case examples present animal-assisted interventions in different settings with different types of animals. This unique resource is an indispensable guide for any counselor or psychotherapist looking to develop and implement animal-assisted therapy techniques in practice.

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 comprehensive overview of the many types of animal-assisted therapy provides the perfect reference for students, general readers, pet owners, animal care specialists, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, and mental health professionals. The use of animals for therapy is a burgeoning form of treatment for individuals with physical, emotional, or psychological illnesses. Written for students and general readers, Animal-Assisted Therapy offers a historical overview of the practice, detailing its growth and the many ways it is practiced today. Filled with illustrative examples, such as successful programs where children with reading problems read aloud to canine companions, the book illuminates the expansive nature and effectiveness of this therapy as it is practiced both generally and among special populations, including children, the elderly, autistic individuals, and the incarcerated. The book also provides specific information that will be of interest to pet owners who want to get involved in these programs and includes information on U.S. government requirements allowing guide dogs in public and private facilities.