Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling Therapists
Use Animal-Assisted Programs

If you're considering a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, you may already be familiar with a range of methods to help people in rehabilitation programs, especially if your bachelor's degree was in a subject such as psychology, nursing, sociology or social work.

Did you ever think that working with animals could be a part of your therapeutic approach?

As a rehabilitation counselor, you'll be guiding individuals to become more independent and employable—those struggling with personal, work or social problems due to sickness, disease, accidents, birth defects or the pressure of daily living. With a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling and the proper training, you might become one of the many who incorporate interaction with animals into treatment programs.

Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling Therapists and Animals Help Each Other

Using animals as an integral part of a person's treatment is called animal-assisted therapy, or AAT. A wide range of animals are used in therapy, including dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits, lizards, dolphins and elephants. The range of problems that AAT can address is similar in scope to rehabilitation counseling—physical, emotional, social—but the goal of recovery is the same.

In 2007, a quantitative review of AAT research—the first meta-study of its kind—showed that AAT resulted in significant positive outcomes in areas such as behavior problems, medical difficulties, autism symptoms and emotional well-being. These positive results were the same even though the studies, and the participants within them, differed.

The wide application of AAT aims to benefit patients in a number of mental and physical ways. In addition to reducing anxiety, depression, cognitive and perceptual deficits as well as other symptoms, the therapy is claimed to potentially increase:

• Self-esteem
• Motivation
• Well-being
• Rapport-building
• Range of motion
• Sensation
• Endurance
• Companionship

What Kind of Therapy with Animals Exists?

Animal-related therapy programs include:

• Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT): This goal-driven treatment is planned and directed by a health or human-services professional with specific expertise within the scope of their field. AAT is customized, like other types of therapy, to a patient's capabilities and condition, and the results of each session are entered in their record. The aim is to improve functioning in one or more areas, including physical, emotional, social and cognitive.
• Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA): These are casual and repeatable interactions created when people are visited by pets and their handlers. Although it may sound simplistic, these activities have often been credited with benefits such as reducing blood-pressure and reports of pain, or increased communication among withdrawn seniors.
• Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP): In this approach, horses are used to promote treatment, learning and emotional growth with disabled individuals as well as at-risk youth.

A Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling Can Help You Become an Animal Assisted Therapist

First, you need education and licensing within your chosen field. A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or a master's degree in social work, plus professional or state licensure, would qualify, as would meeting similar requirements in nursing, physical therapy, recreational therapy or occupational therapy.

To improve your marketability as an animal-assisted therapist, think about supplemental training to become certified in AAT. Some programs are available online—certifications offered by the Animal Behavior Institute or the University of Denver Graduate School of Social work are two examples.

Add Wag-and-Woof to Your Education

With increasing research supporting the health benefits of the human-animal bond, this kind of therapy may become even more commonplace in the future. If you enjoy animals and are pursuing a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or another health-related or mental health counseling diploma, you may want to consider expanding your training to include this creature-friendly therapy.

Sources: deltasociety.org; ingentaconnect.com; latimes.com; bls.org

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