Training and Implementing Therapy Animals into Practice CE Webinar for therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists

 
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Training and Implementing Therapy Animals into Practice - 3 hours


To access the discount form for registering for multiple workshops or participants, please click here.

When & Where:

  • Date: Friday, August 7, 2026
  • Time: 2:00pm - 5:15pm Eastern Time
  • CE Hours Included: 3 (please see below for details)
  • Location: Live Interactive Webinar ("Synchronous") on Zoom
  • Investment: $87 before Friday, July 24th at 5:00pm Eastern Time, $97 after
  • Presented by: Taylor Chastain Griffin, Ph.D. (see bio below)
  • Workshop Recording: A recording of this workshop is available to review for 60 days after the presentation. However, participants must attend live to receive the "Synchronous" CE Certificate.
  • Instruction Level: Intermediate
  • Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists

Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop in its entirety, you will be able to:

  • Assess therapy animal candidates and teams for temperament, readiness, and handler competence.
  • Evaluate team suitability for specific therapy environments.
  • Apply humane training principles in therapy animal preparation.
  • Outline indicators of stress, comfort, and consent in therapy animals.
  • Prepare safe and appropriate therapy animal interventions.
  • Apply ethical and professional standards in therapy animal practice.

Workshop Description:

You understand the terminology and research. You’re developing treatment goals. But when it comes to your animal partner—their readiness, skillset, and well-being—you want deeper clarity and confidence.
This advanced workshop builds directly on foundational concepts and takes a focused dive into the animal side of the partnership. We’ll explore animal selection, temperament considerations, training pathways, evaluation standards, and indicators of preparedness for therapeutic work. From there, we’ll examine how to design interventions that align with your animal’s unique strengths while prioritizing their welfare. Participants will also consider office setup, session structure, and practical intervention ideas tailored to specific animal skills and behavioral profiles.

Workshop Agenda:

  • Foundations of Therapy Animal Work (60 mins)
    • Define and differentiate between types of therapy animals and their roles
    • Identify appropriate animal candidates and traits for success
    • Explore the professional journey from animal selection to evaluation
    • Emphasize the importance of building trusting relationships and using humane training methods
    • Introduce essential behavioral cues and discuss real-world case study
  • Assessing, Preparing, and Partnering with Therapy Animals (60 mins)
    • Apply principles of assessing animal preferences, comfort, and readiness
    • Understand how to evaluate therapy animal teams and establish handler competencies
    • Discuss best practices for integrating animals into therapy environments
    • Explore foundational intervention ideas using therapy animal presence
    • Practice intervention through reflective exercises and case studies
  • Professionalism, Safety, and Intervention Implementation (60 mins)
    • Identify creative therapy animal activities and engagement ideas
    • Understand documentation, informed consent, and ethical considerations
    • Discuss incident planning and volunteer team integration using the diamond model
    • Explore continuing education resources and professional development opportunities

Presented by: Taylor Chastain Griffin, Ph.D.

In her roles as National Director of AAI Advancement for Pet Partners and Executive Director of the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP), Taylor Chastain Griffin, Ph.D., focuses on advancing research and professional development within the therapy animal field. Having witnessed hundreds of interactions between her own therapy animals and the people they have visited, she is deeply committed to strengthening animal-assisted intervention (AAI) through empirical investigation.
Dr. Griffin earned her doctorate in research psychology in 2018, with a focus on the human–animal bond as experienced in contexts of shared traumatic stress. Her academic path—from undergraduate studies in psychology and animal behavior to graduate training as a mental health counselor—has consistently centered on promoting and professionalizing AAI.
She is a published author, dog trainer, and speaker. Today, her work centers on establishing industry standards that enhance both the effectiveness and accessibility of AAI for the wide range of professionals dedicated to this work.

Workshop Schedule (Eastern Time):

  • 1:30pm - 2:00pm | Sign-In and Welcome
  • 2:00pm - 3:30pm | Session
  • 3:30pm - 3:45pm | Break
  • 3:45pm - 5:15pm | Session
  • 5:15pm | Continuing Education Certificates Available

3 CE Hours Included - Details by License Type Below:

  • PSYCHOLOGISTS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For more detailed information on the current CE ruling in Georgia, or if you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
  • COUNSELORS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP), ACEP No. 7153. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
  • SOCIAL WORKERS: The Knowledge Tree, a Summit Professional Education Company, provider #2470, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/14/2026-1/14/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits. If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.
  • MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS: TKT has applied for approval for this workshop through the Georgia Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (GAMFT). If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.

Registration: To register for individual workshops, you may use our online payment option, or to pay by check you may print and complete the Registration Form and mail or fax it to our office. The registration form is available on our website: www.theknowledgetree.org. Registration is permitted until the time the workshop begins, unless otherwise specified.

Multiple Workshop Special: There is a 10% Discount with registration for two workshops. There is a 15% Discount with registrations for three or four workshops. There is a 20% Discount with registration for five or more workshops.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: If you can no longer attend a workshop you have registered for, you can either receive a credit for another workshop or receive a refund if you are within the refund policy period. Refunds will be given for cancellations received at least five days prior to the workshop. More information about refund/cancellation can be found here.

Attendance Policy: 100% attendance and completion of a course evaluation is required at any CE program in order to receive credit for that CE program. No partial credit is given. Certificates of completion will be available in each attendee’s account once the broadcast has ended and the course evaluation completed.

ADA Requests: We will make every effort to accommodate any reasonable ADA request. Please call or email us at least two weeks prior to the event. Payment and registration are required to fulfill an ADA request.

No Conflict Policy: Neither The Knowledge Tree nor its speakers have received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program. 

System Requirements: Live Interactive Webinars are facilitated via Zoom. System requirements for the Zoom platform are linked at our FAQ page.

We are an approved vendor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for easy reimbursement of educational expenses for VA employees.


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For information about our Continuing Education Workshops, please contact our Customer Service team at:

404.913.2005

theknowledgetree@summit.zendesk.com

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The Knowledge Tree, a Summit Professional Education Company, offers courses that provide continuing education hours as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and holds Approved Continuing Education Provider/Sponsor status with professional organizations including APA and NBCC. Each licensee should check our detailed CE information page and ensure courses taken meet their specific state board requirements.