Animal Assisted Therapy Use Application by Condition provides the most updated and comprehensive data knowledge on animal-assisted therapy. The book synthesizes historical information, theory, clinical practice, and data from recent clinical studies on animal-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other diseases. Written by international experts drawn from the fields of medicine, clinical psychology and therapy, speech therapy, clinical research, and animal training and welfare, this book employs a hypothesis driven, data rich approach to inform readers on current research and serve as a reference for clinical practice and use of animal-assisted therapy. This is an important resource for clinicians, researchers, animal trainers and handlers and students who want to understand and utilize animal-assisted therapy in theory and practice.

 

• Includes essential information on animal-assisted therapy for clinicians, researchers, students, and animal training and handling organizations
• Examines PTSD in history, literature and arts, along with theories of the mechanism of clinical action of animal-assisted therapy
• Features contributions by war combat veterans who use animal-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD

• SECTION 1 Introduction
  1. Introduction and Synopsis of Chapters Chapter
  2. History of AAT and Theories of Mechanism of Action of AAT for PTSD Chapter
  SECTION 2 Basic and Clinical Basis for AAT
  3. Reduction of State-Anxiety by Petting Animals in a Controlled Laboratory Experiment
  4. Incorporating Animal Assisted Therapy into Treatment for PTSD Chapter
  SECTION 3 Applications of AAT
  5. PTSD in History, Literature and Art Chapter
  6. The Use of Service Dogs for Military Veterans with PTSD Chapter
  7. Equine Assisted Therapy for Veterans with PTSD Chapter
  8. Avian Assisted Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Chapter
  9. AAT for PTSD in Sexual Trauma Survivors Chapter
  10. AAT in Pediatric Patients Chapter
  11. AAT for Patients Hospitalized with Heart Failure Chapter
  12. AAT in Geriatric Patients
  SECTION 4 Animal Trainers' and Patient Perspectives
  13. Canine Assisted Therapy for PTSD in War Veterans: Perspective of an Animal Training Organization Chapter
  14. Animal Welfare Chapter
  15. Canine Assisted Therapy for PTSD: A War Veteran’s Perspective Chapter
  16. Conclusion and Future Studies and Applications of AAT

Eric Altschuler, MD, PhD is Associate Chief and Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Metropolitan Hospital and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York Medical College. Dr. Altschuler is also an Associate Editor of the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Altschuler is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Brain Injury Medicine, Neuromuscular Medicine and Electrodiagnostic medicine. In addition to clinical work in general PM&R and electro-diagnostics, Dr. Altschuler is a widely published and recognized expert in clinically applied and basic cognitive neuroscience. Dr. Altschuler was the first to report the use of mirror therapy for hemiparesis following stroke and for a combination amputation/orthopedic injury. Dr. Altschuler was the first to publish the use of animal assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) now in wide use for patients across the world.

 

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Metropolitan Hospital; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, New York Medical College, NY, USA