Professional Competencies in Animal-Assisted Interventions: Room B
Information
Date & Time
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Location
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2121 Euclid Ave
2121 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
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Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
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Identify at least 4 knowledge-based competencies for AAI professionals.
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Identify 3 essential skills required of a professional therapy animal team.
Educational Goal
The educational goal of this workshop is to inform participants of the competencies required of professionals who partner with therapy and/or facility animals in practice.
Description
Professionals working with therapy and/or facility animals should have evidence of specialized training and skills that prepares them to offer AAI safely and effectively. Following an empirical process outlined by general certification body experts, The Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals has collaborated with field experts to identify these competencies. This session will explore both the knowledge-based competencies for a professional as well as the skills required by therapy animal teams partnering in professional settings.
Target Audience
- Counselor
- Marriage & Family Therapist
- Psychologist
- Social Worker
- Veterinarian
Presenters
In her roles as National Director of AAI Advancement for Pet Partners and Executive Director of the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals, Taylor Chastain Griffin, Ph.D. focuses on supporting research and professional development within the therapy animal arena. Having witnessed hundreds of interactions between her own therapy animals and the people with whom they’ve visited, she is passionate about bolstering the intervention with empirical investigation. She obtained her doctorate in research psychology in 2018, with her studies focusing on the human-animal bond as it is experienced in contexts of shared traumatic experiences. Through her undergraduate education in psychology and animal behavior to her graduate work to become a mental health counselor, she has always strived to shape her educational and professional endeavors with the foundational goal of promoting AAI. She is also a published author, dog trainer, speaker, and Pet Partners team evaluator.