An animal therapy course is an ideal way to understand how this increasingly popular type of therapy improves the emotional and psychological wellbeing of people.
If you’re curious about the theory behind pet therapy, this course is ideal for you – whether you work in counselling, psychology, health care or simply want to understand how pets can help others.
Pets trained to be therapy animals are non-judgemental, affectionate and fun companions whether they’re at home with their owners or working in a business, clinic or health care setting.
Animals have been shown to reduce stress and stimulate social interaction, which makes animal therapy useful and often critical to the wellbeing in a wide variety of situations, such as:
This animal therapy course will help you understand the benefits of animal therapy and how to use pet therapy in a therapeutic framework to improve the psychological wellbeing of your clients.
Topics covered in our online animal therapy course include:
And more…
Animal-assisted therapy or pet therapy is a complementary (or alternative) therapy that involves interaction between people and specially trained animals. The purpose of animal-assisted therapy is to help a person recover from or deal with a health problem or psychological or emotional condition.
Dogs and cats are most common in animal-assisted therapy – the type of animal chosen depends on the therapeutic goals of a person’s treatment plan.
Dogs are the most common therapy animals in animal-assisted therapy, but many pets can help people feel happier and more relaxed, from horses to reptiles!
Dogs – Dogs are by far the most popular choice when it comes to assistance and therapy animals.
Horses – Equine therapy is a popular treatment for many physical, emotional and psychological conditions. Caring for and riding these giant, gentle creatures helps people let go of disruptive, unhelpful behaviours. Horses promote confidence and calm, easing anxiety and increasing social skills.
Cats – For those people afraid or intimidated by dogs, cats are a great alternative. They’re quiet, calm, clean and affectionate (most of the time), making them ideal for residential aged care.
Guinea pigs/rabbits – These “smallies”, as they’re often known, are an excellent alternative to large pets when it comes to incorporating pet therapy into treatment plans. They still offer comfort, companionship and can assist with fine motor skills and behavioural and emotional support.
Birds – Parrots, in particular, are empathetic and can provide emotional support – plus, they can be taught to talk!
Reptiles – Caring for reptiles offers a reprieve from psychological and emotional disorders. While reptiles are relatively new to the therapy field, their unique care needs can provide a self-esteem boost to those who need it most.
Pet therapy can help many professionals to connect with clients and improve their physical or mental health, from physiotherapists to dentists.
Animals can help break down barriers to connect with clients to improve their emotional and psychological health.
In physical and occupational therapy, animals can promote interaction between therapist and client and be a powerful motivator to achieve goals.
Fear of the dentist is common, especially in young children. So, animals are a wonderful distraction and can promote feelings of safety and calm while in the dental chair.
Animals are a fantastic teaching aid, with ‘story dogs’ becoming increasingly popular in the classroom. These dogs promote reading among primary school children and are a great addition to school counsellors’ offices too!
Animals can be particularly beneficial for older people or people living with a disability in residential care facilities. In fact, these companion pets improve quality of life, encourage therapy participation and provide comfort.
Gain the knowledge to understand how pets can help people heal, learn and thrive with an animal-assisted therapy course like our Certificate of Pet Therapy.
