The Human - Animal Connection: A Depth Psychological Exploration of Animal-Assisted Activities and Considerations for Practice
October 30, November 6, 13, 20, 2024
Lifelong Learner Membership Rate: $39 | Offered Live via Zoom
Program Description
What you will receive:
- 4 Live Webinar Sessions with Q & A
- 4 Links to the Recordings
- 4 CECs
Animal-assisted therapy modalities are increasing in popularity in the field of mental health. Yet, there are many ways their effectiveness is still not fully known due to the enormity of factors that shape the therapeutic encounter. The implication for interested and practicing clinicians is to continually revisit human traditions of relating to horses while incorporating new understandings about the human and animal connection. This course introduces foundational concepts and offers attendees a survey of the many elements involved in the practice of animal-assisted psychotherapy, and then supports them with ways to integrate this knowledge into their own practice.
This course will inform the interested attendee about working with animals in psychotherapy by first presenting an overview of human and animal relatedness from the depth psychological traditions, to support students in understanding the impact on our current day relatedness to animals. Attendees are then introduced to concepts in neuroanatomy and ethology to explore the physiological similarities across species and how those may influence the practice of animal-assisted therapy. Skills to see relatedness as behavioral (somatic displays), in addition to emotional (psychological understanding), will also be provided to attendees, to support them in their practice of animal-assisted therapy. Attendees will then be supported in identifying ways apply these concepts in their specific practice contexts.
This Course is Ideal For:
- Practicing mental health clinicians or students in pursuit of this vocation
- Practitioners working with therapy animals in schools, nursing homes, or businesses
- Those interested in learning more about the field of equine assisted therapy or working with therapy animals.
Course Overview: (Weekly Titles/Themes)
Week 1 – Depth Psychological Overview
The meaning-making tendencies in our human culture about animals and our relationships with them, as described by the tradition of depth psychology, will be provided. Works by theorists and authors including Jung, von Franz, Hillman, and Buber will be reviewed in order to support attendees in understanding the wide variety of ways patients in animal-assisted therapy modalities may approach the therapeutic encounter. Implications for treatment will be discussed.
- Introductions to the Course, Overview of Content
- Introductions of Attendees, including attendee intentions for course
- Overview of Theorists and their contributions to literature on animals
- Jung
- von Franz
- Hillman
- Buber
- Considerations for Practice of Psychology
- Q & A
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to identify the importance of animals in the history of depth psychology by naming two ways that speech projects human traits onto animals.
- Attendees will be able to describe at least two ways that awareness of cultural references to animals are relevant in the current practice of psychology.
Week 2 – Neuropsychology Implications
The fields of neuropsychology and ethology are continually providing information necessary in the application of animal-assisted therapies. The human brain shares many ancestral structures with our animal counterparts and for humans, these often operate at non-conscious levels. Being in relationship has the capacity to heal previous traumas, and our own instinctual drives lead us to these relationships. Participants will gain an understanding of these physiological structures, their similarities across species, and how they can operate in the practice of animal-assisted modalities.
- Overview of Limbic System
- Introduction of Polyvagal Theory
- Discussion of Autonomic Nervous System Similarities in Humans and Horses
- Cardiac, Respiratory, Eye Contact, and more patterns
- Facial Action Coding Systems, for Humans and Horses
- Eye Contact Experiential Exercise
- Q & A
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to describe the physiology humans share with animals by naming at least two features that are similar between species.
- Attendees will be able to identify eye contact patterns of anxiety and dissociation in humans and horses.
Week 3 – Relatedness as Behaviors
An introduction to the ability to recognize behaviors as indicative of the relatedness, or resonance, between beings will be provided. In the therapeutic encounter, the non-conscious neuropsychological elements are activated and often drive the patient’s behaviors. Yet, patients of animal-assisted therapy may be ascribing a meaning to the relationship with the animal that is distinct from either the neuropsychological conditions or the behaviors presented in session. Interpretations from the psychotherapist in this regard are powerful support for the patient, but the practicing therapist must first be able to recognize them and place them in context. Attendees will be introduced to practical methods for learning to observe these behaviors and apply interpretations.
- Review of Similarity in Autonomic System Functioning Between Species
- Questions and Observations from Attendees Between Sessions
- Introduction of Behavioral Synchronicity Between Species
- Preliminary Discussion of Coding Categories and Explanation of Research
- Q & A
Learning Objectives
- Attendees will be able to recognize the significance of at least two behaviors in the practice of animal-assisted therapy.
- Attendees will be able to form interpretations associated with behaviors observed.
Week 4 – Integrating into Practice
Attendees will explore ways they can apply the course to their practice of psychotherapy. Recognizing the likelihood that attendees will be from a broad spectrum of interest in the topic, the instructor will provide examples of how to implement these skills in multiple contexts.
Attendees will be supported in considering how best to apply these topics in their own relationships with others, and where possible applications to their animal-assisted therapy work.
- Attendee Descriptions of Interest in Applications to Individual Professional Contexts
- Group Discussion Facilitated by Instructor of Examples of Application of Course Content
- Small Group Discussions of Applications to Attendee’s Professional Contexts
- Group Sharing/Q & A
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to formulate course concepts into three applications to incorporate into their own practice of psychology and/or animal-assisted activities.
- Attendees will be able to name how relatedness to animals can be diagnostic and inform the therapeutic process in at least two ways.
By the End of This Course You Will Be Able To:
- Identify the importance of animals in the history of depth psychology and describe at least two ways this is relevant in the current practice of psychology.
- Articulate a basic understanding of the physiology, e.g. neuroanatomy that we, as humans, share with animals.
- Recognize the significance of at least two behaviors in the practice of animal-assisted therapy and be able to form interpretations to support the patient in treatment.
- Formulate concepts presented into three applications to incorporate into their own practice of psychology and/or animal-assisted activities.
References:
Ainsworth, M. D. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Erlbaum.
Bekoff, M. (2007). The Emotional lives of animals: A leading scientist explores animal joy, sorrow, and empathy—and why they matter. New World Library.
Bozarth, J. D., Zimring, F. M., & Tausch, R. (2002). Client-centered therapy: The evolution of a revolution. In D. J. Cain (Ed.), Humanistic psychotherapies: Handbook of research and practice (pp. 147-188). American Psychological Association.
Brothers Grimm. (2003). The complete fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm (3rd ed.). (J. Zipes, Trans.) Bantam Books. (Original work published 1819)
Buber, M. (1996). I and Thou (W. Kaufmann, Trans.). Simon & Schuster. (Original work published 1923)
Cozolino, L. (2024). The Neuroscience of psychotherapy: Healing the social brain (4th ed.). W. W. Norton & Company.
Craig, S., D’Mello, S., Witherspoon, A., & Graesser, A. (2008). Emote aloud during learning with AutoTutor: Applying the Facial Action Coding System to cognitive-affective states during learning. Cognition & Emotion, 22(5), 777–788. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/02699930701516759
Ekman, P. (n.d.) Facial Action Coding System (FACS) https://www.paulekman.com/facial-action-coding-system/
Friedmann, E., Katcher, A. H., Lynch, J. J., & Thomas, S. A. (1980). Animal companions and one-year survival of patients after discharge from a coronary care unit. Public Health Reports, 95, 307-312.
Hillman, J. (1992). The thought of the heart and the soul of the world. Spring.
Hillman, J. (2008a). The animal kingdom in the human dream. In Animal presences, Uniform Edition of the writings of James Hillman, Volume 9 (pp. 9-57). Spring.
Hillman, J. (2008b). “You Dirty Dog!” In Animal presences, Uniform Edition of the writings of James Hillman, Volume 9 (pp. 150-160). Spring.
Main, M. (1993). Discourse, prediction, and recent studies in attachment: Implications for psychoanalysis. Journal of The American Psychoanalytic Association, 41S, 209- 244. Retrieved from PEP Archive, EBSCOhost
McWilliams, N. (2020). Psychoanalytic diagnosis: Understanding personality structure in the clinical process (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
Mott, R., Hawthorne, S., & McBride, S. (2020). “Blink rate as a measure of stress and attention in the domestic horse (Equus caballus).” Sci Rep 10, 21409. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78386-z
Murrow, B. (2010). Developing beyond a narcissistic relationship with animals. Spring: A Journal of Archetype and Culture, 83, 281-298.
Murrow, B. (2013) A Quantitative exploration into the effects of the human and animal connection. [Doctoral dissertation. Pacifica Graduate Institute]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Odendaal, J. S. J., & Meintjes, R. A. (2003). Neurophysiological correlates of affiliative behaviour between humans and dogs. The Veterinary Journal, 165, 296-301.
Panksepp, J. & Biven, L. (2012). The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions. W. W. Norton & Company.
Porges, S.W. (2011). Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
Porges, S. W. (2021). Polyvagal Theory: A biobehavioral journey to sociality. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 7(1).
Rudd, C., Pasiuk, E., Anderson, N., Hall, N., Foster, R., & Schroeder, K. (2024). A Preliminary
Assessment of Equine Affect in Equine-Assisted Services. Anthrozoös, 37(3), 501–518. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/08927936.2024.2333163
Schore, J. R., & Schore, A. N. (2008). Modern attachment theory: The central role of affect regulation in development and treatment. Clinical Social Work Journal, 36(1), 9-20. doi:10.1007/s10615-007-0111-7
Schore, A. N. (2009). Right brain affect regulation: An essential mechanism of development, trauma, dissociation, and psychotherapy. In D. Fosha, D. J., Siegel, & M. F. Solomon, M. (Eds.), The healing power of emotion: Affective neuroscience, development & clinical practice (pp. 112-144). New York: Norton.
Smith AV, Proops L, Grounds K, Wathan J, McComb K. (2016) “Functionally relevant responses to human facial expressions of emotion in the domestic horse (Equus caballus)”. Biol Lett. Feb;12(2):20150907. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0907
Szajnberg, N. M. (2022). What the Face Reveals: Basic and Applied Studies of Spontaneous Expression Using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 70(3), 591–595.
van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score. Penguin Group.
von Franz, M-L. (1996). The Interpretation of fairy tales (Revised ed.). Shambhala.
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Facial Action Coding System. PLoS ONE, 10(8), 1–35. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131738
Program Details
Dates
October 30 – November 20, 2024, 5-6:30pm PT
Online 4-week webinar course with Brenda Murrow
Registration for Non-Members
$112.50 – Pacifica Alumni, Full Time Students, & Senior Rate
$125.00 – General Rate
$30. 00 Continuing Education Credit (CECs) Fee
Participants requesting Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for Online programs must attend all live sessions (offered via Zoom) in order to receive CECs. Please make sure that your Zoom account name matches the name of the attendee requesting CECs.
Membership Pricing
As a Member of our Pacifica Degree Student Membership program, you can receive free access to this webinar series! To register and receive your special member-only, code please click here.
(Please note that the Pacifica Degree Student Membership program is only for current students at Pacifica Graduate Institute enrolled in a full-time degree program).
As a Member of our Lifelong Learner Membership program, you can register for this series for just $39! To register and receive your special member-only code, please click here.
Student Members and Lifelong Learner Members can input their member-only code in the DISCOUNT CODE box on the registration form to receive their membership pricing.
About the Teachers
Brenda Murrow, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who has experience in supporting patients in infancy to adults age 90+, with presenting concerns of trauma, abuse, attachment disruptions, and other emotional needs. She has worked in a variety of environments including as a Reiss-Davis Fellow in Los Angeles, and now serving rural communities in Kansas in private practice. She enjoys traditional in-office therapy settings as well as partnering with equines and canines in animal-assisted therapies.
Dr. Murrow seeks to contribute to the field of psychology both by teaching and through the research of assessment and treatment methods. She is a core faculty member and Research Coordinator in the Clinical Psychology department at Pacifica Graduate Institute and shares psychological concepts in an accessible way through her podcast, Connection Therapy.
General Information
Location
Hosted Online
Cancellations
Cancellations 14 days or more prior to the program start date receive a 100% refund of program registrations. After 14 days, up to 7 days prior to the program start date, a 50% refund is available. For cancellations made less than 7 days of program start date, no refund is available.
For additional information, including travel, cancellation policy, and disability services please visit our general information section.
Continuing Education Credit
This program meets qualifications for 4 hours of continuing education credit for Psychologists through the California Psychological Association (PAC014) Pacifica Graduate Institute is approved by the California Psychological Association to provide continuing education for psychologists. Pacifica Graduate Institute maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Full attendance is required to receive a certificate.
This course meets the qualifications for 4 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Pacifica Graduate Institute is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (#60721) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs. Pacifica Graduate Institute maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. Full attendance is required to obtain a certificate.
For Registered Nurses through the California Board of Registered Nurses this course meets qualifications of 4 hours of continuing education credit are available for RNs through the California Board of Registered Nurses (provider #CEP 7177). Full attendance is required to obtain a certificate.
Pacifica Graduate Institute is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs. Pacifica Graduate Institute maintains responsibility for each program and its content. Full attendance is required to receive a certificate.
Continuing Education Goal. Pacifica Graduate Institute is committed to offering continuing education courses to train LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs to treat any client in an ethically and clinically sound manner based upon current accepted standards of practice. Course completion certificates will be awarded at the conclusion of the training and upon participant’s submission of his or her completed evaluation.
CECs and Online Program Attendance: Participants requesting Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for Online programs must attend all live sessions (offered via Zoom) in order to receive CECs. Please make sure that your Zoom account name matches the name of the attendee requesting CECs.
For those who meet the CEC requirements, CE Certificates will be emailed out within a month after the end of the program.
For additional information, including travel, cancellation policy, and disability services please visit our general information section.
Registration Details
October 30, November 6, 13, 20, 2024
Number of Classes: 4 Classes
Class Length: 1.5 hours
Class Time: 5:00 – 6:30 PM PT
CECs: 4
Participants requesting Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for Online programs must attend all live sessions (offered via Zoom) in order to receive CECs. Please make sure that your Zoom account name matches the name of the attendee requesting CECs.