Animal Assisted Therapy
Practitioner level 3
By successfully completing this course, you could:
- Gain skills and knowledge to practice Animal Assisted Therapy
- Be awarded the BSY Diploma
- Be entitled to use the letters BSY (AAT) after your name
You can study this course from the comfort of your own home; in your own time and at your own pace; with helpful support and encouragement from our friendly tutors.
Based on clinical observations and data from existing studies, researchers have suggested that repeated interaction with a companion animal could have beneficial long-term effects. The purpose of animal assisted therapy (AAT) is to strengthen, support and help people to live rewarding and healthy lives. This course examines the benefits of AAT, the way in which animals can provide social support, and the relationship between animals and humans. You will understand the way in which an animal is chosen and trained, and the way in which a client is screened for suitability for AAT work. You will also learn how to devise programmes and how to use solution-focused therapy in order to help a wide range of people.
Syllabus
- Lesson One
- Animal Assisted Therapy
- History
- The Human-Animal Connection
- The Risks of Animal Assisted Therapy
- The Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy
- Lesson Two
- The Differences between Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy
- Animal Assisted Activities
- Animal Assisted Therapy
- Social Support
- Social Support through Animal Relationships
- The Benefits of Therapy Animals
- Lesson Three
- Selecting an Animal for Therapy Work
- Therapy Dogs
- Testing Puppies
- Testing Older Dogs
- Canine Culture
- Lesson Four
- Selecting an Animal for Therapy Work (Continued)
- Therapy Cats
- Therapy Horses
- Small Therapy Animals
- Training an Animal for Therapy Work
- Socialisation
- Touch Desensitisation
- Obedience Training
- Special Skills
- Lesson Five
- Client Screening
- Informed Consent
- Standards of Practice and Care
- AAT Counselling Techniques
- Using AAT in the Counselling Session
- Designing and Implementing AAT Programmes
- Rules for Guiding AAT Programmes
- Lesson Six
- Solution-focused Therapy
- AAT and Solution-focused Therapy
- Problem-solving versus Solution-building
- The Goals of AAT and Solution-focused Therapy
- Purposeful Interventions
- Example of an AAT Intervention
- Lesson Seven
- Structuring an AAT Session
- Relational Techniques
- Animal Assisted Interventions
- Cultural Differences
- AAT with Children
- Play Therapy
- School-based Programmes
- Lesson Eight
- Working with Older People and Special Populations
- Adolescents
- Adults
- Elderly Clients
- Substance Abusers
- Victims of Violence
- Creating a Successful AAT Programme
- Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development
- General Welfare Considerations
- Working with Older People and Special Populations
No practical training is required to complete this course.
There are two ways you can enrol on this course. You can:
- Pay with a deposit of £70 £50, followed by 11 monthly instalments of £30
- OR
- Pay the total course fee in one sum of £400 £380 and also receive a special complimentary gift
To enrol by phone, please call our friendly course advisors on Freephone 0800 731 9271.
