Embracing the Animal’s Perspective

The IIAAPT is one of a kind and unique. Through my certification process, I appreciated the focus on acquiring the skills I need to conduct AAPT effectively and I valued the focus on the animals and their well-being. The pre-requiste course I talk about most is the Canine Communication course, which is a must have for anyone looking to work with animals and people, and is equally beneficial for learning to live harmoniously with dogs. The focus on positive training methods is pertinent in reflecting healthy, positive relationships with clients. The certification process through IIAAPT is thorough and extensive, but worth every penny. I am honored to be a part of such an amazing community with distinguished individuals and their animals.

Once I took the first class I was sold! This program is such a good example of how a good relationship with our animals form the basis and beginning of AAPT! There is so much emphasis and information about animals' communication, their needs, and assuring they have a choice in all activities! I love what I have learned as an animal lover and as a therapist.

As a lifelong learner of all things human-animal bond related; I found the Animal Assisted Play Therapy® courses to be most beneficial. As the emphasis is on the relationship between the practitioner and the animal working alongside them our clients are given the opportunity of seeing a reciprocal and positive relationship in action. I am a better advocate for the dogs working by my side having taken these courses.

The AAPT training and certification program is unlike any other program available in the field. It  not only teaches you how to incorporate a variety of different animals into your work (not just canines) but it is also rooted in a solid understanding of animal  welfare, agency, and training. The founders go above and beyond expectation with the material and information presented, as well as with the teaching format. I highly recommend it to anyone interested  in learning more about working with animals in therapeutic settings.

Following the completion of the IIAAPT certification program, I feel well prepared and confident in my ability to provide Animal Assisted Play Therapy® services to my clients.  The founders have perfectly married play therapy skills and animal interventions in a way that only someone who has literally “written the book” is able to do.

Professionals in the field of animal-assisted interactions have long sought an experience- and science-based text. This is it. The authors provide comprehensive information across the treatment spectrum, from choosing an animal through working with that partner to the end of that partner's career. The reader is challenged to look closely at his/her own work. Practicing empathy and respect for animals as well as clients is artfully woven into every chapter. This book needs not only to be on the shelf, but also to be read by every human healthcare professional who works with animals.

Animal Assisted Play Therapy is a rich and valuable resource for both aspiring and experienced AAPT therapists. VanFleet and Faa-Thompson integrate their professionalism in the area of play therapy, deep acquaintance with dogs and horses, and extensive AAPT experience in a way that brings the reader to a multilevel understanding of the field of AAPT, for all its complexities and opportunities it provides for insight and healing. This book differs from many others in that it recognizes the centrality of the client’s and therapist’s relationships with the animals and their implications for the psychotherapy process. Indeed, the subject of these relationships, together with the subjects of professional training, ethics, and animal welfare, are woven into the chapters throughout the book, showing their critical implications for understanding and implementing AAPT at every level. The authors cover various issues, unique to the field of AAPT, that are imperative for the AAPT therapist to consider. The book also dismantles certain long-standing myths about the field of AAT: AAT is not based on magical process, the animal does not need extensive obedience training, and the animal is not the therapist. The authors of Animal Assisted Play Therapy make an important contribution to the development of AAPT as a serious clinical field.

The letters of Animal Assisted Play Therapy^TM also represent some core principles and goal areas of the field:

Acceptance – of the animal as they are, rather than expecting them to be something they are not

Attachment – healthy attachment and relationship are promoted with fun and playfulness

Process – an outcome is less important than the process, so unexpected events are woven into the session for the benefit of the client and the animal

Training – is completely non-aversive and involves positive, relationship-based methods

These four alone distinguish AAPT as a unique approach to involving animals in therapy and my cats and I are excited to be part of this field of work!

I recall several years ago listening to a podcast on Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT). Risë VanFleet was sharing about this type of treatment and the ways it could be beneficial for children. As I listened to Risë describe the process of AAPT, I remember thinking what an incredible process this could be for so many children in therapy. Fast forward several years and VanFleet and Faa-Thompson have amassed a comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable book about AAPT. Not only does this book present a clear definition of AAPT, it is full of case examples, theoretical understanding, practical implementation, research, and a clear unison of animal assisted therapy and play therapy. It is the definitive guide on AAPT. Practitioners will enjoy reading and learning about AAPT and appreciate the level of thoroughness that the authors have mastered in bringing this much-needed treatment to the forefront of therapeutic options.

In their book, Animal Assisted Play Therapy, Risë VanFleet and Tracie Faa-Thompson have created the definitive and comprehensive resource for anyone involved in the field. This book provides an enjoyable and easy-to-read overview of the core principles and processes of AAPT (Animal Assisted Play Therapy). It also offers in-depth information on the theoretical foundations, history, and considerations for practitioners, including the identification and standards for practitioner competencies, both for therapy/clinical skills and in terms of animal handling and knowledge of animal behavior. By presenting a general outline for those new to the field and also diving deep into specifics, VanFleet and Faa-Thompson have delivered the first must-have book for those involved in AAPT. The book provides valuable information for those just getting started in AAPT or Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) as it identifies training and preparations needed before getting started in this work and first steps and considerations when one begins to involve animals in the therapeutic process. There is also much here for current practitioners who may wish to evaluate an existing program to both assess and improve those programs. Regardless of the reason you pick up this book, from the opening quote (‘Even the expert was once a beginner’) to a discussion of the needs for specific further research and the issue of credentialing, you will gain a better understanding of how all of the elements of AAPT interrelate. The authors share personal stories and case studies to show the importance of mutually respectful relationships as practitioners work in partnership with animals and the development of the AAPT specialty practice area. The authors are credentialed mental health professionals as well as having credentials as play therapists. Their passion for their work, their clients, and their high regard for animals and the roles animals play in all of our lives is very clear. If you have an interest in this field, and wish to, as the authors describe ‘explore fun, exciting, and novel ways to help our clients with these animals with whom we live, work, and play’ this book will expand your knowledge and provide a great ongoing reference source.