Emotional Support Puppies, Peacocks, and Tarantulas; Oh, My! The Clinical Mental Health Counselor's Role in Addressing Client Requests for Emotional Support Animals and Animals as Healers, The What, Why and How of Becoming an Animal-Assisted Therapist

Title: Emotional Support Puppies, Peacocks, and Tarantulas; Oh, My!  The Clinical Mental Health Counselor's Role in Addressing Client Requests for Emotional Support Animals

Presenter(s): Aaron Norton LMHC, LMFT. Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Presentation Abstract: Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are increasingly popular, and mental health counselors are receiving requests from clients (and non-clients) for documentation that can be used to obtain ESA designation for pets, yet few counselors have been trained to assess the need for ESAs. Assessment of the need for ESAs requires knowledge of disability, the role of ESAs in symptom reduction and quality of life, the difference between ESAs and service animals, ethical considerations for recommendation of ESAs, contraindications for ESAs, and the law and ESAs. This program will aid clinicians in obtaining this knowledge and feeling prepared to address client requests for letters documenting the need for ESAs.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define emotional support animals (ESAs) and differentiate ESAs from service animals.
2. Describe the legal and ethical ramifications for recommending ESAs for clients.
3. List several recommended practices for addressing requests for ESA eligibility letters.

CE Hours: 2.0 General Hours and 1.0 Hours Ethics/Professional Boundaries (3.0 Hours Total)

 

Title: Animals as Healers, The What, Why and How of Becoming an Animal-Assisted Therapy-Interventionist (AAT)

 

1. Explain the Human-Animal Bond, the history of AAT, and the biophilia hypothesis in connection with AAT
2. Discuss the AAT-C competencies, ethics, and laws pertaining to the practice of AAT and the selection of your animal co-therapist
3. Describe key elements of the client, animal, co-therapist relationship and important multicultural considerations in AAT
4. Identify and understand various species of animals and their potential limitations in the practice of AAT, as well as the importance of animal training and animal advocacy in the practice of AAT
5. Describe the differentiation between Emotional Support Animals, Therapy Animals, and Service Animals
6. Explain the topic of Zoonosis and it’s relevance to the practice of AAT
7. Explain how AAI’s and AAT can be utilized across a variety of face to face or telehealth settings with a variety of populations, and diagnoses including, but not limited to, ADHD, Conduct Disorder, Trauma/PTSD, autism spectrum, grief/loss, substance use, depression, and anxiety

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