The Human-Animal Bond in Clinical Social Work Practice

ISBN-13: 9783030877828 / Angielski / Miękka / 2021 / 112 str.

Katherine Compitus

Spis treści

1. Introduction

An overview of the topics in the book. Why is the human-animal bond (HAB) important and why is it often overlooked? An introduction to the definitions, terms, and types of animal-assisted interventions.

2. History of the Human-Animal Bond (HAB)

A history of the relationship between people and animals. A discussion of the evolution of animal-assisted interventions includes early interventions by famous historical figures such as Florence Nightingale and Sigmund Freud.

3. The Biopsychosocial Model as a Working Hypothesis of the Human-Animal Bond

Working hypothesis of why the human-animal bond is so powerful, including a biological perspective, a psychological perspective, and a social perspective.

4. Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)

Phase One: Preparation and Assessment

i. Necessary preparations in the clinic/office before implementing an AAT program. Selecting a therapy animal. Preparing a client for AAT, including describing the model to client, setting expectations, and addressing fears.

ii. The importance of taking an extensive history, the types of clients that are best suited to AAT, and the clients that would not benefit from AAT. Client readiness, client and animal safety.

Phase Two: The Development and Implementation of an AAT-Based Treatment Plan

i. Working with a client to set goals and objectives, based on interactions with the therapy animal.  

ii. The integration of AAT with various evidence-based treatments such as CBT, DBT, or psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Special Considerations: Animal Welfare Issues

i. Clinicians should always keep in mind the welfare of the therapy animal. How to read animal body language to identify stress in a therapy animal. What to do when the client or therapy animal becomes stressed or deregulated.

5. Veterinary Social Work

Grief Counseling for Pet Loss

i. The ways that a clinician can help facilitate the healing process when a beloved pet has passed away. A discussion of disenfranchised grief, the types of loss, and the grief process, as specific to pet loss.

Compassion Fatigue in the Veterinary Profession

i. A discussion of the high rate of suicide in animal rescuers and veterinary professionals. An exploration of the reasons behind compassion fatigue and secondary trauma in animal care professionals.

6. Crisis Intervention and the Human-Animal Bond

i. Homelessness

ii. Domestic Violence

iii. Disaster Relief

iv. Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL)

7. Clinical Implications

Current research in AAT, suggested criteria for clinical research, limitations, and future directions in AAT. 

8. References

9. Index

O autorze

Katherine Compitus, DSW, LCSW, MSEd, MA is a doctor of clinical social work and a licensed clinical social worker.  Her research focuses primarily on social policy, mental health, and the human-animal bond. Katherine is the founder and chairman of Surrey Hills Sanctuary, a non-profit organization providing veterinary social work services to trauma and abuse survivors in New York State.  She has lectured extensively on Animal-Assisted Therapy, Grief Counseling for Pet Loss, Suicidality in Veterinary Professionals, and Crisis Intervention for People with Pets.  Katherine is currently a lecturer in the graduate social work schools at Columbia University, Fordham University, and New York University (NYU), where she developed and currently teaches the Human-Animal Bond course at NYU’s Silver School of Social Work.  Early in her social work career Katherine provided bilingual animal-assisted therapy at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, helped establish a therapy animal program at an AHRC preschool, and was a grief counselor for pet loss at the Animal Medical Center in New York City.  Born and raised in New York City, she now spends most of her time in upstate New York with her husband and the 30+ animals at the sanctuary, including chickens, potbellied pigs, pigeons, cats, dogs, and two naughty steer (bulls). 

Blurb

The human-animal bond may be described as a dynamic, relationship between people and the animals they care for. There are a multitude of mental and physical health benefits for people who care for animals, and animals in therapy have been shown to aid a wide range of people and illnesses. Although the benefits of animal companionship have long been suspected, little is known about the research, the process, or why it works. This book provides clinicians with a history of the human-animal bond and the rationale for incorporating animals into therapy today.

In this book, the author includes a discussion of the myriad of ways that clinicians can directly help people care for their pets, such as crisis intervention services, policy issues, grief counseling for pet loss, and compassion fatigue in the veterinary profession. There also is a thorough discussion of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as a distinct and unique modality. The adaptive nature of AAT is not only due to the symbiotic relationship between humans and animals, but also because of the flexible nature of the model; it can be used with clients of all demographics and with most mental illnesses. Research shows that the majority of mental health practitioners believe that AAT is a valid treatment modality, but AAT has not yet been manualized and clinicians are left confused about where to start. 

The Human-Animal Bond in Clinical Social Work Practice is a unique and essential resource that provides guidelines for developing AAT treatment plans and integrating AAT with existing therapeutic models. The book answers the questions that social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health counselors may have about the benefits of the human-animal bond and ways to tap into that special bond in direct practice.