Coopersmith Career Consulting | Evaluated Learning Experience
Animal-Assisted Therapy (PSY-475)
Varies (self-study; self-paced).
March 2022 - Present.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: examine the benefits of animal-assisted interaction; evaluate therapeutic gains from assistance dogs; discuss the implications of animals serving as protective factors for community health; explore the role of a dog for all involved in animal-assisted intervention(AAI) (the practitioner, handler, and client); examine the factors that make pets a good candidate for AAI; explore how animals may be incorporated into psychotherapy or mental health practice; examine the factors when working with animals for individuals with autism spectrum and executive functioning disorders; examine the factors of human– animal interaction with healing trauma and family issues; investigate programs and initiatives that have been developed globally in the field of animal-assisted intervention (analyze some problems with existing research on the use of Human-Animal Interaction (HAI) in therapeutic situations.
Animal-Assisted Therapy (PSY-475) introduces students to the benefits of animal assisted therapy. Students will learn about Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and the applications to several populations that include children, trauma, and families. Students also learn how to use AAT for treating a variety of specific disorders. Finally, the student will examine the research, guidelines, and best practices for using animals as therapeutic companions.
In the upper division baccalaureate degree category, 3 semester hours in Psychology, or Counseling (2/22).
