ANIMAL ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY INTERNATIONAL

AAP Students are registered allied health, mental health and clinical professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counsellors, psychotherapists, mental health occupational therapists and credentialed nurses).

AAL Students are teachers, disability support workers, youth workers, animal trainers, horse riding instructors, coaches, veterinarians, vet nurses and people interested in helping people learn new social-emotional skills, with animals as engaging partners in the process.

WHO IS THIS ONLINE AAP / AAL TRAINING FOR?

This unique training is available for both Australian and English-speaking International students.

This program offers an engaging and accessible online format over 40 classes/weeks, perfect for those fitting their study in around work, family and other commitments.

HOW IS THE TRAINING DELIVERED?

Our online AAP/AAL Foundation Training is delivered live every week on Zoom, by our senior trainer and EPI founder, Meggin Kirby.

Over a total of 200 Learning Hours (126 Contact Hours plus approximately 74 Accrued Learning Hours), you will learn a sophisticated and comprehensive humanistic psychotherapy model of AATx – animal assisted psychotherapy and AAE – animal assisted learning.

WHAT ARE THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES?

• To understand the theory and practice of the AWARE™ framework for animal assisted psychotherapy and animal assisted learning. The AWARE framework is a humanistic psychotherapy and relationally-focused approach to both Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (AAP) and Animal Assisted Learning (AAL) developed by Institute founder Meg Kirby. This is a pioneering ethically-oriented and trauma-informed approach to including animals in therapy and experiential learning, growth and development.
• To understand and apply the psychotherapy, experiential learning and creative principles and practices underpinning the AWARE framework.
• To understand ethical issues and professional standards of practice and safety practices with animals and clients.
• To develop assessment, process and closure skills.
• To review and apply counselling micro-skills, including somatic, emotional, cognitive, relational and behavioural interventions.
• To create appropriate and graded experiments (relational experiences with animals) to offer diverse clients and client groups based on assessment and client presentation, with professionalism and sensitivity.
• To understand and apply stage 1 trauma skills.
• To offer trauma-informed animal assisted services in AATx (Psychotherapy) and AAE (Learning/Psychoeducation).
• To apply a developmental lens in understanding symptoms, presenting behaviours, patterns.
• To develop skills in working with unconscious processes including working with fixed cognitive, behavioural and relational patterns.
• To understand and apply relational practice in the context of animal assisted practice.
  To articulate clear therapeutic goals or learning goals and design appropriate equine experiments to meet client need/presentation.
• To utilise reflective practice, understand and be guided by self-awareness and ‘self as practitioner’, understanding the impact of practitioner core themes, patterns and countertransference on clients and practice.
• To develop species-specific knowledge and skills, understanding relevant animal physiology, psychology, behaviour, animal welfare, animal enrichment and consent indicators, and to appreciate the relational dynamics that animals, the human-animal bond, and natural animal behaviour can bring to the animal assisted process.
• To understand the relationship between practitioners and their animals, including the impact on safety and efficacy.
• To develop core competencies in animal welfare, safety and ethics, alongside core competencies in therapeutic process, experiential learning and group process.
• To understand and practice I–Thou Inter-species Relating™.
• To understand and practice the Animal Wisdom program.
• To identify practitioner limitations and be committed to continuing personal and professional growth and development.
• To begin your successful Animal Assisted practice with basic business orientation.

YOUR ATTENDANCE COMMITMENTS

• Students will ideally be available to attend all 40 classes/weeks of training.
• You will need a reliable internet connection, a computer or laptop, a private study or desk for online class attendance, and safe access to animals for practicals.
• You will need basic IT skills or access to support to allow you to upload videos for feedback, to participate, and interact virtually. (We can help you with this!)
• You will need to set aside 3 hours for classes, with full presence and focus, your camera ON, in privacy, and without distraction, as well as additional time (approx 2 hours per week) for reading and homework.  It is not suitable to attend class in a shared family space due to confidentiality.
• Participating on a phone is not suitable due to the activities involved in training.
• This is a relationally-based training with a large focus on personal development and students are required to attend online classes with 100% presence and focus.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

• The core competencies of Animal Assisted Treatment (Psychotherapy) and Animal Assisted Education (Psychoeducation / Personal & Professional Development)
• Animal Studies, I-Thou Inter-species Relating, Safety Guidelines, Animal Welfare and Ethical practice
• Animals as Change Agents – understanding of the unique dynamics that can occur in animal assisted psychotherapy and animal assisted learning
• An overview of AWARE framework, a unique relational, trauma-informed, experiential, ethical and animal-wisdom based model founded in psychotherapy theory and practice and neuroscience.
• Underpinning Psychotherapy theory including gestalt therapy, awareness and mindfulness, phenomenology, developmental, trauma-informed, and somatic experiencing, principles and practices.
• Practice methodology, including somatic, emotional, cognitive, behavioural, brain-body, relationship-focused methodology.
• The ‘what’ and ‘how’ in AAP and AAL processes – the theoretical and experiential foundations, including applications at liberty, on-line and led mounted sessions (with horses.)
• An Introduction to different applications – working with individuals and groups.
• AWARE framework and theory of change – this includes understanding how people grow and change generally, and how change can happen therapeutically in animal assisted processes.
• Specific Code of Ethics and Ethical practice.
• Introduction to Business and Professional practice in the context of animal assisted practice, and much, much more!

YOUR LEARNING COMMITMENTS

• Attend all Online Classes with your camera on, and with active participation – with a maximum of 2 absences
• Complete 6 AAP/ AAL Clinical/Practice Sessions keep case notes
• Attend 6 Education Support and Supervision Sessions with EPI Supervisor
• Completion of Online Animal Studies course (included in course fees)
• Complete Required Reading during training
• Signed understanding and compliance to The Institute Code of Ethics.

All completed within 12 months.

WHAT IS THE INVESTMENT?

AAP / AAL Foundation Training Cost: AU $6,000 plus GST ($6,660 inc. GST)

The price includes 200 hours of training (120 hours of trainer led Foundation Training, and 6 hours of Education Support and Supervision, and approximately 74 accrued learning hours).
Animal Studies Program to be completed within 12 months (included as part of your course fees)

WHAT SUPPORT WILL YOU GET?

After completion of training students/practitioners will:

• Join Closed Facebook Group
• Access Supervision
• Access Psychotherapy (as needed)
• Access ongoing Professional Development opportunities – Advanced / Specialist Training, Conferences, Assisting in training etc.
• Have lifetime access to a Community of Practitioners

Why Train with Us?

We are uniquely placed as the first comprehensive Australian model of equine assisted practice - EAP (psychotherapy) and EAL (experiential learning) - since 2011. Our sister branch Animal Assisted Psychotherapy International has set a high bar for Animal Assisted Treatment - psychotherapy (AAP) and Animal Assisted Education - psycho-social learning (AAL) education and Training. Founder Meg Kirby is co-author of a recent peer-reviewed published article on best practice terminology recommendations for the international Animal Assisted Services sector of research and practice.

Celebrating our 13th year of training in equine assisted practice, animal assisted therapy and ecotherapy, we are an established private training organisation with an international reputation for excellence, high professional standards, and advocates for animal welfare, wellbeing and enrichment protocols.