Paws in the Playroom: Animal Assisted Play Therapy
Presented by Tara Moser, LCSW, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, Animal Assisted Play Therapist-Supervisor-Instructor
Have you ever considered including animals in therapy? Are you not sure if it is a good fit for your practice or clients or animal? Some of the benefits of animal assisted play therapy include the release of calming hormones in both child and animal, trust building, emotional self-regulation, and positive attachment. While the integration of animals into play therapy provides significant therapeutic benefits, it has the equal potential to cause harm if the play therapist is not properly trained. This workshop will provide an introduction to practicing Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT). AAPT requires a complex set of skills, such as knowing how to:
- Properly select and prepare your animal for therapy
- Determine if your animal and client are the right fit for each other
- Align client’s therapy goals to the appropriate AAPT interventions
- Detect signs of stress and resignation in animal’s body language.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
1. Identify and explain the differences between Animal Assisted Play Therapy and other types of animal assisted therapies, specifically including the animal’s role related to each approach.
2. Identify three competencies related to impacting the human-animal bond in preparation to work with animals in Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT) sessions.
3. Describe ways to meet client’s therapeutic goals by including animals in play therapy-based practices through Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT) sessions.
4. Analyze directive and nondirective play therapy–based approaches between client and animal.
Level of training: Beginner
2 APT CONTACT CE - Humanistic/Attachment
About our presenter: Tara Moser, LCSW, RPT-S, Certified Animal Assisted Play Therapist-Supervisor-Instructor is the owner of Delta Family Counseling and Founder of Pawsitive Kids Camp. She and her husband are the authors of Bode the Beach Dog: Life is RUFF! based on one of Tara's first AAPT dogs. Bode, and the amazing experiences he provided children. Tara has been honored as Social Worker of the Year and Social Work Educator of the Year awards (Florida National Association of Social Workers), the APT Service Award, and the Viola Brady Play Therapist of the Year (Florida Association for Play Therapy). She is also a recipient of the IIAPT Kirrie Award for her contributions to AAPT.
AZAPT Members $40; Nonmember Guests $50
Limited to 40 participants.
VIRTUAL: This will be a virtual meeting so participants can see each other. Participants will be awarded APT CONTACT CE upon successful completion of a post test. Due to COVID-19 health concerns, this one-time online event has been approved by APT for 2 CONTACT CE Hours.
AZAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to Play Therapy. APT Approved Provider 97-035. AZAPT maintains responsibility for the program. Registrants understand and agree that any photograph, video or audio recording of themselves may be used to further promote AZAPT.
Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be requested in writing and received no later than April 1, 2021. Cancellations are subject to a $15 processing fee. Substitutions (someone else attending) or transfer of registration to another training date may be requested. No refunds after April 1, 2021.