The letters of Animal Assisted Play TherapyTM 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!