Animal Assisted Play Therapy™ Is for All Professions – A blogpost by Cyndie Kieffer
The principles and practices of Animal Assisted Play Therapy™ are applicable to a wide range of professions – mental health, allied health, and education, among others, and for a variety of client populations. It takes a solid understanding of AAPT and one’s own work, and then some creativity to think outside the box sometimes. In this blogpost, Cyndie Kieffer, LCSW, CPP-AAPT, CAAPT-I discusses how she incorporated AAPT into her non-traditional work situations and interviews professionals from other professions about their views.
Read MoreProfessional Decision Making in Animal Assisted Play Therapy™: How the Goodness-of-Fit Model Impacts Practice
Decision-making in Animal Assisted Play Therapy™ and Animal Assisted Therapy practice is a complex process. Not only must practitioners know how to intervene to meet client goals, they must consider and advocate for the needs of the animals. Other factors play a role in determining what an actual intervention, lesson, or session might look like, also. This blogpost considers four aspects that are forefront in the minds of professionals using AAPT in their work.
Read MoreCase Formulation Guide for Professionals Working with Children and Families
When child and family professionals such as play therapists and family therapists are presented with new cases, there is much to be learned in a short time. Working together with the family, therapists typically review the family’s history and relationships along with the parents’ or family’s reasons for coming. Regardless of theoretical orientation, therapists work with the family to establish treatment goals and an overall plan for moving forward. This can be an overwhelming task for relatively new therapists, and even for experienced therapists when confronted with complex and/or multiple traumas, attachment disruptions, and a multitude of other situations. Where does one start to tease apart the situation to determine which goals represent a starting place? There are no easy answers.
Read MoreAdapting to Adoption: Appreciating What Our Dogs Must Learn
When dogs are adopted from a shelter, rescue, or other caretaking situation, they have an enormous amount to learn as they adapt to their new environment. We sometimes take that for granted and develop unrealistic expectations of them as a result. As we give them space and time to adjust, we can observe the situation from their viewpoint and alter our own expectations and actions to better help them feel comfortable in their new homes.
Read MoreIncluding Animals in Play Therapy — Not Just for Kids!
Quite often when people hear “play therapy” they think of children. Play therapy uses the therapeutic powers of play (based on the seminal work of Dr. Charles Schaefer) and the natural features of childhood to provide a developmentally-attuned set of interventions and approaches to help children learn and heal. Even so, we know that play is important not only for children, but also for adolescents and adults throughout the lifespan. Humor and playfulness enrich people’s lives while providing a safety valve and coping mechanism for the more intense, serious aspects of life....
Read MoreWhy Competencies for Professionals in Animal Assisted Interventions?
As Animal Assisted Interventions become more prevalent among professionals, the topic of competencies gains importance. Competences should be viewed as a roadmap to developing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to involve animals effectively and ethically in mental health, allied health, and educational work.
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