Oakland University will offer an online certificate program in Animal Assisted Therapy beginning this fall. The non-credit program provides an academic approach to human-animal bonding and the healing potential of using animal assisted therapy with special populations. Consisting of five eight-week courses, this program will help professionals incorporate animal assisted therapy into their fields or provide information for those who wish to combine their love of animals with helping people. Each course will be taught by a professional in the field.
Animals have been found to provide physical, social and psychological benefits for humans. Professionals in the medical, health care and counseling professions have been using animal assisted therapy for decades, and, in some cases, as early as the ninth century.
Nurses, counselors, criminal justice professionals, teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers and more have found innovative ways to use animals in their practices. Using animal assisted therapy in educational, therapeutic and health care settings for at-risk children, adolescents, the elderly and other special needs populations can provide significant benefits.
The program will highlight what animal assisted therapy is, how it can be used, precautions, liabilities associated with using animal assisted therapy with special populations, the psychology of animal assisted therapy, identifying animals that work best and more, concluding with a capstone.
For more information on the program, please contact Amy Johnson at (248) 370-4065 or johnson2@oakland.edu.