The Practice of Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy

The Practice of Animal Assisted Psychotherapy: An Innovative Modality for Facilitating Mental Wellness is about how specially trained therapy dogs assist a human therapist to work with clients’ mental health issues. The book’s main purpose is to provide the clinical applications for animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP). The book can be used by novices or seasoned therapists to help them understand the power of AAP and how it can be used in clinical ways to facilitate mental wellness, improve a client’s insight, and to aid in bringing to light clinical issues. Additionally, the book describes the potential risks, benefits, ethical and legal concerns related to the provision of AAP. The book provides readers with an understanding of what kind of dog would be suitable, how to train a dog to become a therapy dog, the many therapeutic roles the therapy dog provides, and how AAP can be utilized with different theoretical orientations that mental health professionals use in their work.

The Practice of Animal Assisted Psychotherapy: An Innovative Modality for Facilitating Mental Wellness is about how specially trained therapy dogs assist a human therapist to work with clients’ mental health issues. The book’s main purpose is to provide the clinical applications for animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP). The book can be used by novices or seasoned therapists to help them understand the power of AAP and how it can be used in clinical ways to facilitate mental wellness, improve a client’s insight, and to aid in bringing to light clinical issues. Additionally, the book describes the potential risks, benefits, ethical and legal concerns related to the provision of AAP. The book provides readers with an understanding of what kind of dog would be suitable, how to train a dog to become a therapy dog, the many therapeutic roles the therapy dog provides, and how AAP can be utilized with different theoretical orientations that mental health professionals use in their work.

Lynn J. Piper, Ph.D., LCP has a private practice in Springfield, Virginia. She specializes as an Animal-Assisted and Trauma Therapist. She also volunteers with Law Enforcement Agencies related to critical incidents. Since becoming a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, she has presented at several conferences and has written articles on topics related to Trauma, Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy (AAP), and AAP & Trauma. Here she is pictured with Zoey, her newest therapy dog in training.