The Human-Animal Dynamic

Catalog description

This course focuses on relationships between humans and non-human animals with a specific focus on the ways in which a strong bond can support vulnerable populations struggling with trauma symptomology, including veterans, older adults, children and adults with disabilities, and persons with mental and behavioral health challenges. Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are in high demand in medical and therapeutic settings; however, workforce training lags. This course is designed to give practicing social workers and current social work students the foundational skills necessary to be adequately prepared to assess, implement, and evaluate AAI in practice. The course will offer hands-on experiences with animals, current treatment modalities, and client settings. Due to the experiential nature of the course, students must be willing to travel in their own vehicles to off-site visits and must be willing to interact with domestic animals such as dogs and horses.