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Behind every successful Animal Assisted Therapy is a well-prepared animal partner. Without the right guidance on selection, training, and behavioral insight, even the most well-meaning practitioners may unintentionally place their therapy animal—or their client—at risk.
This essential course empowers clinicians to confidently select and prepare the right animal partner for Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), so both practitioner and co-therapist can work together in safe, ethical, and effective harmony.
Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D, LCMHCS, AAT-I, CYT-200, brings decades of experience as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Animal Assisted Therapist, and Pet Partners Team Evaluator. As Lead Instructor for the Animal Assisted Therapy Interventionist (AAT-I) certification course, she specializes in blending behavioral health principles with expert animal training to help clinicians and animals succeed together in therapeutic environments.
Dr. Strayer’s teaching approach is both research-informed and deeply practical. Through relatable case stories, behavioral insights, and clear explanations, she guides clinicians in understanding animal behavior, evaluating temperament, and building a responsive, respectful relationship with their therapy animal.
Topics covered include how temperament and behavior form animal personality, how to read stress signals and body language, how animals learn, and how to select and implement the best training practices for AAT. Participants will also examine breed considerations, handler responsibilities, safety concerns (including zoonosis), evaluation protocols, and how to advocate for both animal and client in clinical care.
Key Takeaways:
Assess animal suitability for AAT: Gain the skills to objectively evaluate an animal’s temperament, behavior, and readiness for therapeutic work.
Prepare and train effectively: Learn how to match training approaches to your animal’s needs and the therapy setting, ensuring confidence and safety for all.
Promote ethical care and safety: Understand the responsibilities of animal advocacy, zoonosis awareness, and the nuances of client vulnerability when animals are present.
Why this course?
Clinician-focused and evidence-aligned: Designed specifically for behavioral health professionals with the latest ethical and clinical guidelines in mind.
Instructor expertise you can trust: Dr. Strayer brings unmatched credibility with real-world AAT experience, credentialing leadership, and academic excellence.
Part of a comprehensive AAT pathway: This course is a core component of the Animal Assisted Therapy Interventionist Credential Program and prepares you for advanced training and ethical practice.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how to understand and know an animal’s temperament, how different animals signal their needs and/or stress levels, and how you can facilitate the animal’s socialization, desensitization, and comfort in preparing them for work in ATT.
Identify how to objectively assess an animals’ suitability, strengths and limitations for the therapy setting and how to select the appropriate training for you and your animal for AAT.
Identify key elements of animal care and advocacy, and the topic of Zoonosis and its implications in AAT.
As you seek to integrate animals into your therapeutic work in a responsible manner, this course provides the insights, structure, and ethical foundation necessary to form a successful human-animal treatment team. Let your co-therapist thrive—start learning today.
Add to cart to begin learning instantly.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course. It consists of 75+ minutes of video instruction, reading assignments and written responses, a post-test, and an evaluation.
Format and Access
This course is Course 3 (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 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.)
Requirements:
This course provides a syllabus listing its specific requirements.
- Video Instruction
- Reading Assignments
Textbooks are required to complete AAT-I learning content. This reading material is NOT included with course enrollment and must be purchased separately from retail booksellers, such as www.amazon.com (search title and/or author of the book).
- Fine, A.H. (2019). Animal Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice-Fourth Edition. London, UK.
- Written Assignments demonstrate an understanding of the material. This includes responses to prompts given in an online forum and submitting reflections and research papers that vary in length in length from one paragraph to up to 4 pages. Reflections and papers require grading by the instructor.
- A post-test is given to demonstrate understanding of the material. An 80% is required to pass and you can retake it if necessary.
- An evaluation is required once all previous steps have been completed. (Psychologists seeking APA hours are requested, not required, to complete the evaluation.)
Availability:
From the time of registration, you have twelve 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:
Course access and completion instructions.
Instructor
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About Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D, LCMHCS, AAT-I, THTC, CYT-200, NLC-P
Dr. Christina Strayer 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. 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 and 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.
Disclosure Statement:
The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.
Credit Hours:
This course consists of 1.5 continuing education hours of credit.
The AAT-I credential program is designed to provide a high level of competency, therefore, the courses requires multiple assignments in addition to the video lectures and required reading. No additional CE hours are provided for the time spent on the writing assignments.
Counselors:
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Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.
Marriage and Family Therapists:
Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.
Social Workers:
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Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, 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: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 clinical continuing education credits.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.
Addiction Professionals:
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This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
Psychologists:
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Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.
Art Therapists:
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.
Other Professionals:
This course qualifies for 90 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
Hold an approved license or certification. Click here to view the full list of approved clinician types.
In order to earn the Animal Assisted Therapy Interventionist (AAT-I) Credential, you are required to complete the full program. Details and enrollment options can be found here.
The AAT-I program consists of eight online, self-paced courses that are a mix of didactic presentations, videos, articles, textbooks, and written assignments. The courses are:
The History of AAT and AAT Principles
AAT Competencies and Multicultural Considerations
Animals as Co-Therapists: Selection, Behavioral, and Training Considerations
Introduction to Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy
Animals as Co-Therapists: Blending Animal Interventions with a Range of Professional Theories
Animals as Co-Therapists: Exploring Animal-Assisted Interventions Across Professions, Settings, and Populations
Developing Treatment Plans and Tracking Outcomes
Animal-Assisted Therapy Overview and Experiential Examples
Upon completion of all 8 online courses, individuals will earn the AAT-I and can begin using the credential AAT-I.
An optional opportunity to expand your training and attend a 2-day live intensive (in North Carolina) with experiential exercises is also available. Please review the website and/or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details on this event.
Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.
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This course was updated September 20, 2023
