Description
The AAT-I Level 1 International Program is a series of 7 online courses (listed below). The AAT-I Level 1 program is designed for licensed/certified professionals to learn how to utilize Animal-Assisted Interventions ethically and intentionally per the American Counseling Association’s AAT-C Competency Requirements. This program is developed by an instructor with a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision, as well as a practicing Animal-Assisted Therapist with several years of experience. The program content has been reviewed by an advisory board of relevant professionals (e.g. LPC’s, LCSW’s) to ensure quality and relevance to a breadth of professionals seeking AAT certification and/or CEU’s. Your instructors believe in the evidence-based healing power of the human-animal bond. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA, 2018), “The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that is influenced by behaviors that are essential to the health and well-being of both. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional, psychological, and physical interactions of people, animals, and the environment.” This program teaches you how to be co-therapists in a triadic relationship with animals in a variety of settings to accelerate growth and transformation via the mind, body, spirit connection.
Full List of Courses Included:
Online Self-Study Courses (Non-Interactive)
- The Human-Animal Bond and History of Animal Assisted Therapy
- AAT: Competencies, Ethics, Law, and Multicultural Considerations
- Animal Behavior, Training
- Introduction to Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy
- Animals as Co-Therapists; Matching Theory and AAI’s
- Animals as Co-Therapists Across Settings including Telemental health and Animal-Assisted Interventions
- AAT-C: Treatment Plans and Measuring Outcomes plus FINAL PROJECT
Requirements
Online Courses Requirements:
1. Forum Posts: You will be required to make some forum posts for the course.
2. You will be required to complete writing assignments with the required reading in order to demonstrate understanding of the material.
3. The following required reading material is not provided to you with the purchase of the course.
- Fine, A.H. (2010). Animal Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice-Fourth Edition. London, UK.
- Levinson, B.M. and Mallon, G.P. (1997). Pet-Oriented Child Psychotherapy. Charles C Thomas Publishing, Springfield, IL.
- Parish-Plass, N. (2013). Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy Theory, Issues and Practice. Purdue University.
This reading material can be purchased on www.amazon.com (Just type in the title and/or author of the book)
Learning Objectives
- Understand the human-animal bond and its importance in AATC
- Define the Human Animal Bond
- Describe a brief history of the Animal Assisted Therapy field
- Explain the rationale for Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI), Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and
- Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)
- Report on the available research on the Human Animal Bond
- Describe the current Animal Assisted Therapy/terminology
- Describe the theoretical framework/Biophilia hypothesis for Animal Assisted Therapy
- Describe the effect of the Human Animal Bond in human interaction
- Explain the ACA Core Competencies for AAT-C
- Identify Pet Partners Identified Core Competencies for AAT-C
- Describe various ethics/laws that impact the practice of AAT
- Explain key Multicultural considerations that must be factored into the practice of AAT
- List general risks associated with the practice of ATT
- Describe the key elements of the triadic relationship between the client, the therapy animal and the therapist
- Report how to be your animal’s best advocate in an AAT setting
- Describe your professional identity as an AAT-C
- Explain how to understand and know an animal’s temperament
- Describe the needs/stress signals of different animals
- Identify how to select the appropriate training for you and your animal for the therapy setting
- Report how to objectively assess an animals’ suitability, strengths and limitations
- Identify key elements of animal care and advocacy
- Explain the ability to detect and as necessary arrange to facilitate the animal’s socialization, desensitization, and comfort to prepare them for work in ATT
- Explain the topic of Zoonosis and its implication in AAT
- Explain the difference between Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP), Therapeutic Riding and Hippotherapy
- Explain steps to become a certified Equine Specialist through P.A.T.H. and Eagala
- Describe the evolution of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy
- Explain the Human Animal Bond in relationship to equines and its specific benefits to clients in EFP
- Explain important elements of horse behavior and how these elements relate to the equine as a co-therapist
- List key reasons horses are suitable for therapy and why they may not be
- Describe examples of interventions involving equines inf EFP
- Describe examples of the evidence-based research in the EFP field
- Define the role of the mental health professional in EFP
- Define the role of the equine specialist in EFP
- Describe the possible models of interaction between the horse, client, mental health professional, and the equine specialist in EFP
- Identify safety concerns for the client in EFP.
- Identify populations shown to benefit from EFP.
- Describe how the therapeutic alliance is enhanced with an animal Co-therapist.
- Explain attachment theory and how an animal as a co-therapist can provide a corrective attachment experience for your clients.
- Explain the process of how to match AAI’s with a variety of Counseling theories.
- Explain how you would incorporate AAI’s with your theoretical orientation.
- Describe how to assess the suitability and amenability of each client to animal-assisted interventions in counseling.
- Explain the different means by which the human-animal interaction can elicit unexpected vulnerability and disclosures in others.
- Describe how to demonstrate respect for the attitudes of others, particularly those concerned with the animal’s presence in a counseling session.
- List potential safety issues related to AAIs in AATC.
- Identify evidence-based research linking AAIs with counseling theories in the AAT field.
- Describe specific examples of evidence-based research in the AAT field that supports the population with which you choose to work.
- Identify multicultural considerations when matching AAIs with counseling theories for the population with which you choose to work.
- Define key elements that factor into the effective matching of AAIs with clients’ needs/goals
- Explain how AAT can increase empathy in clients
- Explain how AAI’s can be utilized in the Educational Setting with ADHD, Conduct Disorder, and Test Anxiety
- Explain how AAT can be utilized with clients who have experienced Trauma/PTSD
- Identify how AAT can be utilized in a crisis setting, including examples of specific crisis animal-assisted interventions
- Explain how AAT can be intentionally utilized with Clients on the Autism Spectrum
- Explain how AAT benefits clients experiencing Grief/Loss
- Explain how AAI’s can be utilized in the Correctional Setting
- Identify types of AAI’s beneficial for clients with Substance Abuse issues
- Explain how AAT can benefit the Aging Population
- Explain how AAT can be beneficial in a Medical setting
- Identify how AAT can be incorporated into a Speech and Language therapy setting
- Describe how AAT can be incorporate into a Physical and Occupation therapy setting
- List specific health considerations that must be factored into client interaction with animals in a medical setting
- Describe different ways AAT can be incorporated into a group counseling setting
- Explain the “inner Zoo” and how to have animals as co-therapists in Group Settings.
- Describe how to secure training for Distance Counseling and how to have Animals as Co-therapists in Distance Counseling (Telementalhealth).
- Explain how to write a treatment plan with goals and objectives utilizing AAT
- Describe various AAIs that relate to building empathy with clients
- Describe various AAIs that relate to developing emotional regulation skills with clients
- Describe various AAIs that relate to creating a corrective attachment experience for clients
- Describe various AAIs that relate to developing client self-esteem
- Describe various AAIs that relate to working with anxious clients
- Describe various AAIs that relate to working with depressed clients
- Describe various AAIs that relate to working with clients who have ADHD
- Explain the importance of using outcome measures in AAT
- Identify the different types of outcome measures that can be used to measure the effectiveness of AAT interventions
CE Hours
Contact Hours for All of the Eight Courses, Included in the Full AAT-I Level 1 Program, Combined:
This course consists of 64 contact hours.
Psychologists:
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Approval renewal date: 9/19
Counselors:
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This course qualifies for 64 contact hours. Approval renewal date: 4/30/19
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0048. Approval renewal date: 2/29/2020
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by the Texas State Board Of Examiners Of Professional Counselors. Provider #: 3051. Expiration date: 8/31/19. This course is approved for 64 hours.
Marriage and Family Therapists:
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by the Texas State Board Of Examiners Of Marriage And Family Therapists. Provider #: 1128. Expiration date: 8/31/19. This course is approved for 64 hours.
Social Workers:
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC, #1609, is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC maintains responsibility for the program. ASWB Approval Period: 05/02/2018 – 05/02/2021. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval for continuing education credits. Social workers participating in this course will receive 64 clinical continuing education clock hours.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0435. Approval renewal date: 2/29/2020
Other Professionals:
This course qualifies for 3840 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
How to obtain the AAT-I Level 1 credential
Hold an approved license or certification. Click here to view the full list of approved clinician types.
Complete the entire AAT-I Level 1 program, which includes the following courses:
- The Human-Animal Bond and History of Animal Assisted Therapy, 4 CE hours
- AAT: Competencies, Ethics, Law, and Multicultural Considerations, 7 CE Hours
- Animal Behavior, Training 2 CE Hours
- Introduction to Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy 13 CE Hours
- Animals as Co-Therapists; Matching Theory and AAI’s, 11 CE Hours
- Animals as Co-Therapists Across Settings including Telemental health and Animal-Assisted Interventions 17 CE Hours
- AAT-C: Treatment Plans and Measuring Outcomes plus FINAL PROJECT, 10 CE Hours
Course Policies
Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities
The Telehealth Certification Institute is glad to make reasonable effort to accommodate students with disabilities access to its courses. If you need support in accessing any of our courses, please contact us at least two weeks prior to your course date and inform us of your needs.
Cancellation Policy
You have thirty days from the time of purchase to cancel your order and receive a full refund.
Grievance Policy
Click here to view our Grievance Policy.
Teaching methods
Teaching methods for the online courses include recorded lectures, videos, text readings, assignments, multiple choice quizzes, and online discussion.
Course Availability
You have six months to access online courses from the time of purchase.
