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Animals as Co-Therapists: Exploring Animal-Assisted Interventions Across Professions, Settings, and Populations

Enroll in the Online Self-Study course and complete it at your own pace.
3.5 CE hours available for behavioral health clinicians upon completion.

Animals as Co-Therapists Exploring Animal-Assisted Interventions Across Professions, Settings, and Populations

In moments when words fail or barriers to connection feel insurmountable, animals can step in—bridging gaps, softening defenses, and opening space for healing. This course reveals how Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs) can transform therapeutic encounters across clinical settings and client populations.

Whether you're working with clients navigating trauma, grief, developmental challenges, or crisis, this course invites you to explore how animals can amplify your effectiveness as a clinician and help you build rapport, evoke empathy, and foster lasting change.

Enroll in the 3.5 CE Online Self-Study for $175

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Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D, LCMHCS, AAT-I, brings decades of clinical and instructional experience, along with an extraordinary depth of real-world practice in animal-assisted therapy. Her groundbreaking doctoral work on AAT’s impact on empathy, combined with her hands-on experience across settings from trauma recovery to education to elder care, makes her uniquely qualified to guide you in responsibly and effectively incorporating animals into your professional work.

Dr. Strayer’s approach is both research-driven and deeply compassionate. Drawing from neuroscience, counseling theory, and firsthand case studies, she integrates theory with practice—showing you how to match specific interventions to clinical needs, build therapeutic alliances with animals, and respect professional boundaries and safety guidelines.

This course examines how animals can enhance therapeutic outcomes across a wide spectrum of services—including individual and group therapy, trauma care, crisis response, addiction treatment, elder care, education, autism interventions, and telemental health. You’ll learn practical AAT techniques tailored for use in medical settings, correctional institutions, and distance counseling, and you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the “inner zoo” metaphor in group therapy.

Dr. Christina Strayer Headshot

Instructor

Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D, LCMHCS, AAT-I, THTC, CYT-200, NLC-P, is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist-Associate, Pet Partner Team Evaluator, Animal Assisted Therapist-Interventionist, and Life Coach with her coaching practice Energy Coaching with Horses and Others (E.C.H.O.) in North Carolina. Her private practice is Animal Assisted Therapy of the Triangle.  She is trained in a variety of Integrative Therapies including Art, Yoga, and Mindfulness. Her theoretical approach is Client-centered and Holistic. Along with her mini goats, avian, equine, canine, and crustacean helpers, Christina combines her study of the power of the human-animal bond in healing with proven counseling theories and techniques to guide clients in reaching their goals. 

She has a diverse background in counseling and teaching. She is the Lead Instructor for the Animal Assisted Therapy Interventionist (AAT-I) certification course. She has served as an adjunct professor at Campbell University in the Counselor Education department. She has traveled and conducted AAT seminars for PESI, a national continuing education organization, and conducts Seminars/Workshops/Groups locally on a variety of Mental Health/Wellness topics. She primarily works in the areas of PTSD, Panic Disorder, Crisis Intervention, Compassion Fatigue, Stress, Trauma, Grief and Loss, Anxiety, Addictions, Depression, Goal setting, Consultation, Self-Esteem, Conflict Resolution, Social Skills, Team Building, and Life Balance/Transitions.

Christina graduated from the Doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision through Argosy University in Sarasota, FL. She obtained both a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Development with a concentration in K-12 School Counseling and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Radford University in Radford, Virginia. She completed her Doctoral dissertation in AAT with Dooli, a rescue English Bulldog/Boxer mix, who was a dear family member and a beloved therapy dog to many over the years.

Key Takeaways:

  • Match interventions to goals: Learn to assess when and how AAIs can enhance your clinical objectives, build empathy, and strengthen client engagement.

  • Apply AAT across diverse settings: Discover how to use AAT techniques with populations experiencing trauma, ADHD, autism, grief, substance use, medical issues, and more.

  • Ensure safety and ethical care: Identify essential medical and ethical considerations for integrating animals into sessions safely and responsibly.

Why This Course?

  • Expert instruction from a pioneer in AAT: Dr. Strayer blends academic excellence with field-tested strategies and powerful clinical insights.

  • Immediate, practical application: Real case studies and intervention examples help you apply what you learn directly to your practice.

  • Respected CE provider: Telehealth Certification Institute is trusted by clinicians nationwide for high-quality, ethically grounded continuing education.

Learning Objectives:

  • Explain key elements that factor into the effective matching of AAIs with clients’ needs/goals and how AAT can increase empathy in clients.

  • Identify how AAT can be utilized in a variety of settings that include: group, crisis, trauma, ADHD, autism, speech and physical/occupational therapy, anxiety, grief/loss, substance use, aging, medical and correctional settings, including examples of specific animal-assisted interventions.

  • List specific health considerations that must be factored into client interaction with animals in a medical setting.

  • Explain the “inner Zoo” and how to have animals as co-therapists in Group Settings.

If you’re looking to expand your clinical toolkit and help your clients experience deeper trust, growth, and healing—this course is a valuable next step on your professional journey.

Add this course to your cart to begin learning instantly.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. It consists of 210+ minutes of video instruction, reading assignments and written responses, a post-test and an evaluation.

This course is Course 6 (of 8) of the AAT-I Credential Program and can be taken individually or as part of the full program.

Please note: Textbooks are required to complete the AAT-I learning content. Reading material is not included with course enrollment and must be purchased separately from retail booksellers. (See "Requirements" tab for specifics.)

Enroll in the 3.5 CE Online Self-Study for $175

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Availability: From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to attend: Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.

This program was recorded on September 20, 2023.

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