Canine-Assisted Play Therapy (USA)

The Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center in conjunction with the Playful Pooch Program present: Canine-Assisted Play Therapy: Theory, Research, & Practice with Risë VanFleet, Ph.D., RPT-S Workshop Dates 2010 Register Early! 2009 sold out 9 months in advance! April 7-9, 2010 ~ Boiling Springs, PA - Sold Out (the April training dates immediately precede a major dog show event in nearby Harrisburg!) August 23-25, 2010 ~ Boiling Springs, PA - Sold Out The next training to be offered in Pennsylvania will be in May 2011. Information about that training will be posted very soon.

Workshop Location
The workshop is held in Boiling Springs, PA at the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc. The area is 25 miles southwest of Harrisburg and 30 miles north of Gettysburg. Access is easy via Harrisburg International Airport, Amtrak, and major interstate highways. There are rental cars at the airport. Local B&Bs and hotels are inexpensive, and the workshop fees include continental breakfast and afternoon snacks.

Workshop Description
This training is designed for child and family therapists who wish to train and work with therapy dogs to enhance their play therapy and other child/family work. The workshop provides an overview of the human-animal bond literature, animal-assisted therapy, research, and the integration of animal-assisted therapy with play therapy. Participants learn how to select and train dogs for this work, as well as why positive, behavioral, and relationship-oriented methods of training are especially useful when involving dogs in child therapy. Emphasis is on the use of child-canine play interactions for therapeutic benefit. Many specific canine-assisted play therapy interventions are covered, including the involvement of dogs with both nondirective and directive play therapy and ways to incorporate families. Types of child/family problems include anxiety and perfectionism, oppositional behaviors, attention deficits, divorce, developmental delays, trauma, attachment problems, grief, behavior/conduct problems, chronic medical illness, and social anxieties. Working with dogs to help children in foster and residential placements is highlighted as well. The workshop gives participants a chance to explore this exciting, emerging field and learn how to develop, implement, and research their own programs. Ideas on working collaboratively with therapy dog handlers and trainers are included. Lecture material is illustrated with video examples, live demonstrations, and skills practice. The workshop is limited to 10-12 participants. This training is for people only. Therapy dogs will be present and available for demonstrations and practice segments.

Learning Objectives Participants in this training will be able to… describe research-based benefits of the human-animal bond for adults and children. list at least 4 advantages of using canines in play therapy with children. define “animal assisted therapy” and “pet play therapy.” describe why positive dog training methods are essential in canine-assisted play therapy. understand basic classical conditioning and operant conditioning used in positive dog training. identify their own dogs’ natural play tendencies that could be incorporated into play therapy. protect themselves from the potential risks involved in this type of work. conduct at least 5 specific canine-assisted play therapy interventions for identified problems. explain the benefits of canine-assisted play therapy for children with attachment disruptions. identify state-of-the-art resources for their own professional development and credentialing in this field.

Prerequisites
Participants should have prior experience conducting play therapy, including familiarity with both nondirective (child-centered) play therapy and directive play therapy approaches. They should also be familiar with behaviorism and appreciate the importance of the family system. They should also be comfortable around dogs. If you have questions about these prerequisites, please contact Dr. VanFleet. Canine professionals wishing to attend should contact Dr. VanFleet for ways to meet these prerequisites.

Participants
Participants should have prior experience conducting play therapy, including familiarity with both nondirective (child-centered) play therapy and directive play therapy approaches. They should also be familiar with behaviorism and appreciate the importance of the family system. They should also be comfortable around dogs. If you have questions about these prerequisites, please contact Dr. VanFleet. Canine professionals wishing to attend should contact Dr. VanFleet for ways to meet these prerequisites.

Who Should Attend
This training is for psychologists, social workers, counselors, psychiatrists, family therapists, school counselors, and other experienced mental health, medical, or educational professionals who work with children and families and who have an interest in the use of canines in play therapy. Canine professionals who meet the prerequisites are also welcomed.

Special Needs
We are committed to making workshops accessible to everyone. Please contact us if you have special needs.

Schedule
The training will run from 8:30 to 5:30 each day. The training has 21 actual training hours.

Continuing Education
The Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The FEAPT Center maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. The Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center is approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (5732) to offer continuing education credits to counselors. The FEAPT Center follows all CE guidelines. It is also an Association for Play Therapy (APT) Approved Provider 95-014. This program has been approved by a number of state social work boards (please contact us for this info). 21 continuing education credits will be awarded to participants who attend the entire training. Partial credit cannot be given. No exceptions can be made to this policy.

The Human and Canine Presenters… Risë VanFleet, Ph.D., RPT-S is a licensed psychologist and registered play therapist-supervisor with 35 years of clinical and leadership experience in a variety of settings. She is the president of the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc. in Boiling Springs, PA and clinical consultant for the Beech Street Program. Dr. VanFleet is the founder of the International Collaborative on Play Therapy and a Past President/Board Chair of the Association for Play Therapy. She has authored several books on filial/family therapy, many chapters on play therapy, and is featured on 4 DVD workshops. Risë has trained thousands worldwide, and she has received 4 prestigious national awards for her work. She is also the author of the groundbreaking book, Play Therapy with Kids & Canines: Benefits for Children’s Developmental and Psychosocial Health, and articles and chapters on the subject. The book has received excellent reviews (e.g., by the American Psychological Association), and was the winner of the Planet Dog Foundation’s Sit. Speak. Act. Canine Service Award as judged and awarded by the Dog Writers Association of America. Articles written by Dr. VanFleet have also been finalists in the 2008 and 2009 competitions. She is a regular contributor to The Chronicle of the Dog. Risë is an Approved Evaluator with the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen® Program, a full member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the Dog Writers Association of America, and the International Society for Anthrozoölogy. She is responsible for the Playful Pooch Program and offers training programs in Canine-Assisted Play Therapy. She is also involved in ongoing research on the involvement of animals in conjunction with therapy.

Kirrie is a trained play therapy dog. She is a 6-year-old rescued Border Collie mix. She is very playful and she truly enjoys being with children and families. Kirrie and other dogs will assist with this training.

Fees
(for the August 2010 workshop)
Extra Early Bird fee: $450 (fully paid by 4/1/10)
Early Bird fee: $500 (paid 4/1 - 5/31/10)
Regular fee: $550 (after 6/1/10)

Registration fees include workshop handouts and materials, continental breakfast each morning, beverages and light snacks each afternoon.

Cancellation Policy:
$125 of the registration fee is a nonrefundable deposit that holds your reservation for this training. Registrations are accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Fees include 21 hours of training, handout book, light refreshments. Lunches and dinners are on your own.

The $125 deposit is nonrefundable. Written cancellations received 12 weeks prior to the training will receive a full refund of the balance of the fees. Cancellations received within 12 weeks of the training are subject to an additional $75 processing fee, with the remainder being refunded.

We regret that no refunds can be given within the 6 weeks preceding the training. When someone from the waiting list can substitute, credit toward future trainings may be given.

To Register...
Please register using our online store.

or download the full brochure and submit the registration form that is on it.