Trauma-Informed Animal-Assisted Programs

Services that promote the power of the human-animal bond have steadily gained in popularity over the last 20 years. With greater visibility in the media and growing acceptance by mainstream healthcare providers, such programs typically attract people seeking healing, wellness, recovery and personal growth. However, there continues to be great variability in the extent to which the animals' needs and voices are considered in the process. Drawing from the literature on trauma-informed care and psychophysiology, this presentation will discuss the potential pitfalls of animal- and equine-assisted therapy and learning programs, and the importance of: Tracking the window of tolerance, threat response cycle, and thresholds of intensity of humans and animal partners in program planning and delivery Recognizing the signs of nervous system activation, including fight, flight, freeze and aversion responses Calming signals and the "fawn" response (attachment cry, clinging, appeasement, submission) Understanding the potential for re-enactments that risk causing harm to humans and animals in the program and taking steps to reduce harm and "do good" Discussing various case examples, the presentation will emphasize the importance of safety, consent, choice, voice, empowerment, trust, collaboration and compassion for two and four legged participants alike. The goals of animal- and equine-assisted programs will be reviewed in light of these principles, along with the idea that programs can aim to be mutually beneficial to all beings taking part. BIO: Sarah Schlote, MA, RP, CCC, SEP is a registered psychotherapist, trauma therapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner who has been involved in the field of animal-assisted interventions since 2003. A former St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs volunteer, her main focus now is partnering with horses. She is the founder of EQUUSOMA™, a training model integrating Somatic Experiencing®, attachment theory and equine-assisted trauma recovery, and has recently launched Therapist-Assisted Horsemanship™, bringing emotional intelligence and body awareness to improving the relationship between owners and their horses. She is passionate about the integration of trauma-informed care principles in equine-assisted practice. www.equusoma.com