In reading this book, therapists will discover the benefits of incorporating animal assisted therapy into their practice, how to design and implement animal assisted interventions, and the efficacy of animal assisted therapy with different disorders and patient populations. Coverage includes the use of AAT with children, families, and the elderly, in counseling and psychotherapy settings, and for treating a variety of specific disorders. --from publisher description.

Conceptualization of the animal/human bond: the foundation for understanding animal-assisted therapy -- Understanding our kinship with animals : input for health care professionals interested in the human/animal bond / Aubrey H. Fine and Alan Beck -- Animal-assisted interventions in historical perspective / James A. Serpell -- Animal-assisted interventions in mental health : definitions and theoretical foundations / Katherine A. Kruger and James A. Serpell -- Newer and older perspectives on the therapeutic effects of animals and nature / Aaron H. Katcher and Alan M. Beck -- Positive effects of animals for psychosocially vulnerable people : a turning point for delivery / Lynnette A. Hart -- The animal-human bond: health and wellness / Erika Friedmann, Heesook Son and Chia-Chun Tsai -- Animal-assisted therapy: conceptual model and guidelines for quality assurance -- Animal selection procedures in animal-assisted interaction programs / Maureen Fredrickson-MacNamara and Kris Butler -- Designing and implementing animal-assisted therapy programs in health and mental health organizations / Gerald P. Malton [and others] -- Understanding the other end of the leash : what therapists need to understand about their co-therapists / Patricia McConnell and Aubrey H. Fine -- Best practices in animal-assisted therapy: guidelines for use of AAT with special populations -- Incorporating animal-assisted therapy into psychotherapy : guidelines and suggestions for therapists / Aubrey H. Fine -- Application of animal-assisted interventions in counseling settings : an overview of alternatives / Aubrey H. Fine [and others] -- Animals in the lives of children / Gail F. Melson, and Aubrey H. Fine -- The use of therapy animals with individuals with autism spectrum disorders / Temple Grandin, Aubrey H. Fine and Christine M. Bowers -- Understanding the role of animals in the family : insights and strategies for clinicians / Barbara W. Boat -- Human/animal interaction and successful aging / Mara Baun and Rebecca Johnson -- Increasing the effectiveness of palliative care through integrative modalities : conceptualizing the roles of animal companions and animal-assisted interventions / Perry Skeath, Aubrey H. Fine and Ann Berger -- Human/animal support services : the evolution of the San Francisco model and pet-associated zoonoses education / Ken Gorczca [and others] -- Animal abuse and developmental psychopathology: recent research, programmatic and therapeutic issues and challenges for the future / Frank R. Ascione [and others] -- Animal assisted activity as a social experience / Arnold Arluke -- Assistance animals : their evolving role in psychiatric service applications / Philip Tedeschi, Aubrey H. Fine and Jana I. Helgeson -- Special topics and concerns in animal-assisted therapy -- Loss of a therapy animal : assessment and healing / Susan Phillips Cohen -- Animal-assisted interventions and humane education : opportunities for a more targeted focus / Phil Arkow -- Welfare consideration in therapy and assistance animals / James A. Serpell [and others] -- The role of the veterinary family practitioner in AAT and AAA programs / Richard Timmins, Aubrey H. Fine and Richard Meadows -- The future of research, education, and clinical practice in the animal/human bond and animal-assisted therapy -- The role of ethology in the field of human/animal relations and animal-assisted therapy / Dennis C. Turner -- Human/animal interactions (HAI) and health : the evidence and issues -- past, present, and future / Cindy C. Wilson -- The role of AAT in clinical practice : the importance of demonstrating empirically oriented psychotherapies / Aubrey H. Fine and Jeffery Scott Mio.