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Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy

Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice

In the 10 years since the first edition of Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy published, the field has changed considerably. The third edition of the Handbook highlights advances… Read more

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Description

In the 10 years since the first edition of Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy published, the field has changed considerably. The third edition of the Handbook highlights advances in the field, with 10 new chapters and over 50% new material. In reading this book, therapists will discover the benefits of incorporating animal assisted therapy into their practice, how to design and implement animal assisted interventions, and the efficacy of animal assisted therapy with different disorders and patient populations. Coverage includes the use of AAT with children, families, and the elderly, in counseling and psychotherapy settings, and for treating a variety of specific disorders.

Key features

  • Includes coverage of the use of cats, dogs, birds, and horses
  • Discusses the "why" to use animals in therapy as well as the "how"
  • Covers the use of animal-assisted therapy with different special populations and to treat different disorders

Readership

Practicing Clinicians and clinical psychology researchers

Table of contents

SECTION I - The Conceptualization of the Animal-Human Bond: The Foundation for Understanding Animal-Assisted Therapy
Chapter 1: Human Animal Interactions: Why Health Care Professionals should be Interested in the Human Animal Bond
Chapter 2: Animal Companions and Human Well-Being: An Historical Exploration of the Value of Human-Animal Relationships
Chapter 3: Animal-Assisted Interventions: The What, why, and where of Animal Assisted Interventions: The need for more rigorous research
Chapter 4: New and Old Perspectives on the Therapeutic Effect, of Animals and Nature
Chapter 5: Animals as Social Supports: Insights for Understanding AAT
Chapter 6: Psychological Benefits of Animal Companionship
Chapter 7: The Animal-Human Bond: Health and Wellness

SECTION II - Animal-Assisted Therapy: Conceptual Model and Guidelines for Quality Assurance
Chapter 8: Methods, Standards and Guidelines in Selecting Animals for Animal Assisted Interventions
Chapter 9: Designing and Implementing Animal-Assisted Therapy Programs in Health and Mental Health Organizations
Chapter 10: A Conversation with Patricia McConnell--Understanding the Other Side of the Leash: What therapists need to know about dog and cat behavior

SECTION III - Best Practices in Animal-Assisted Therapy: Guidelines for Use of AAT with Special Populations
Chapter 11: Animals and Therapists: Incorporating Animals in Outpatient Psychotherapy: Guidelines for Application
Chapter 12: Application of animal assisted interventions in counseling settings: An overview of alternatives
Chapter 13: Animals in the Lives of Children
Chapter 14: Understanding the Role of Animal Assisted Interventions and the Human animal Bond with Persons with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Chapter 15: Understanding the Role of Animals in the Family – Insights and Strategies for Clinicians
Chapter 16: The Role Animals Play in Enhancing Quality of Life for t

Product details

About the editor

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Aubrey H Fine

Psychologist Dr. Aubrey Fine is an internationally known expert with close to 50 years of experience in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and the Human Animal Bond. Dr. Fine is a Professor Emeritus at the California State Polytechnic University for over 42 years, during which time he has researched the value of AAT with children and the elderly. In addition, he has integrated the foundations of AAT into his clinical practice, which primarily focuses on the treatment of children with attention, behavioral, adjustment and developmental disorders.
Affiliations and expertise
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA

View book on ScienceDirect

Read Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy on ScienceDirect