Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Registration 7:30 am - 8:30 am
Program: 8:30 am - 4:15 pm

6 CE Credits

More Than Just Puppy Love:
 Integrating Animal Assisted Therapy
Into Clinical Practice

Featured Speaker:
Aubrey H. Fine, Ed.D.

With Welcoming/Closing remarks by
Pearl Salotto, B.A., M.P.S.

 
Program Description

Pet owners have always known what researchers are just beginning to understand -- animals can improve the quality of human life. The psychosocial benefits of the human/companion animal bond have led to the development of a treatment modality presently known as Animal Assisted Therapy [AAT]. It can facilitate spontaneous expression of emotion, enhance functional abilities, serve as a social lubricant, provide diversion from pain, reduce stress levels, increase self-esteem, and foster openness to learning.

This workshop explores the history, theory and research behind AAT; details how clinicians and educators can incorporate AAT into out-patient psychotherapy and classroom settings; and gives guidelines and ethical considerations in selecting different kinds of animals for AAT and how to best match up patients and students with them.

Dr. Fine’s illustrative examples feature AAT with children and adolescents, primarily, but the techniques can be generalized for use with adults.

Welcoming/Closing remarks by – Pearl Salotto, B.A., M.P.S., director/developer of the D.J. Professional Pet Assisted Therapy Certificate Program at CCRI. Since 1996, this non-credit course has been a continuous offering through CCRI’s Division of Lifelong Learning. It’s named in honor of D.J., the family therapy pet she worked with for many years. Their early experiences as a pet assisted therapy team led to the development of the CCRI program and other initiatives. She is the author of Pet Assisted Therapy: A Loving Intervention and Emerging Profession Leading to a Friendlier, Healthier and More Peaceful World.

 
Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this workshop you will:

  1. Gain knowledge about the history, theory and research behind AAT.
  2. Recognize the mental/physical health benefits of companion animals.
  3. Understand the indications and contra-indications for using AAT.
  4. Know the best practice protocols for specific populations.
  5. Understand the professional and ethical issues of working with animals and using ATT.

The Speaker

Aubrey H. Fine, Ed.D. is a licensed psychologist, professor, author, and expert in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). He is a professor in the College of Education and Integrative Studies at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.

For more than 25 years, he has researched, studied, and practiced with animals as "therapeutic agents." He has published extensively on AAT, and on related subjects such as learning and attention disorders, parent and child relationships, and sports psychology. He is the author of The Handbook of Animal Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice now in its second edition (Academic Press, 2006). His newest book, Afternoons with Puppy: Inspirations from a Therapist and His Animals, will be released this fall (Purdue University Press).

Dr. Fine is the 2001 recipient of the prestigious Wang Award, which is given to distinguished faculty within the California State University system. In his private practice, Dr. Fine incorporates AAT with his seven therapy animals, including dogs, birds, and a lizard.

 

Registration Information

Hosted by: Community College of Rhode Island, Flanagan Campus,
1762 Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln, RI (click here for directions)

Registration Form: To view/print a flyer in PDF format* with full details about this program and a registration form, click here.

Course Hours:

 
  • Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
       
  • The workshop begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4:15 p.m.
       
  • Lunch is on your own, noon to 1:00 p.m.
      
  • Two refreshment breaks are provided.
Fees:
  • $89 for RIPA Members
  • $139 for non-RIPA members/Professionals (Click here to Join RIPA!)
  • $49 for students
  • Add $20 late fee postmarked after Tuesday, October 16, 2007.
  • Cancellations prior to 10/16/07 are subject to a $30 handling fee.
    No refund will be made thereafter.
  • Make checks payable to:
           RIPA CPE Committee
           1643 Warwick Ave., PMB 103
           Warwick, RI 02889

Special Requests:

  • If you require ADA accomodations, please contact RIPA (401-736-2900) at least one week prior to the workshop.
  • Written grievances about the workshop should be addressed to the RIPA CPE Committee.

Continuing Education Credit:
 
Participants arriving late or departing early will not receive credit or documentation of attendance. No partial credit provided.

Psychologists: The RIPA Continuing Professional Education Committee is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. RIPA maintains responsibility for these programs and their contents. Participants earn 6 CE credits for this program.

Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, and Nurses: Applications for continuing education credits have been submitted to specific regulatory boards for approval for this workshop.

Other Professionals/Disciplines: Please call the RIPA office at
(401)736-2900.

 
 
* You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to download PDF files; if you don't already have Acrobat Reader, you can get it FREE from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com, or you can access the CE registration form as a printer-friendly web page by clicking here.

 

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