The inclusion of animals can be a wonderful addition to the counseling process; as such, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has become a fast growing intervention within the mental health professions. This workshop will provide a brief introduction to AAT, including the history of AAT, the benefits of AAT, and potential limitations of this modality.

Particular emphasis will be given to traditional counseling theories/ interventions that blend well with AAT’s theoretical foundations. A few scholars have presented interesting possibilities, such as:  solution-focused therapy (Pichot & Coulter, 2007), motivational interviewing (Miller, 2000), reality therapy (Minatrea & Wesley, 2008), and family systems theory (Walsh, 2009). This workshop aims to contribute to the existing literature  by 1) summarizing the information on AAT and counseling theory and 2) presenting new possibilities for AAT and counseling theory.

Learning Objectives

1. Attendees will understand basic information on AAT.

2. Attendees will understand the theoretical foundations of AAT.

3. Attendees will understand how to integrate traditional counseling theories into AAT practice, including specific interventions for certain populations.

AAT can provide endless possibilities to your professional work.

Come ready to be inspired about AAT!

About our Presenter:

Laura Bruneau is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has completed an Animal-assisted therapy certification program. She and her dog, Moose, are a registered Pet Partners Team with Delta Society. Additionally, she holds a PhD in Counselor Education and has presented on this topic at the national level.