Poster 4

Canine-assisted play therapy (CAPT) integrates the well-established fields of animal-assisted therapy and play therapy for children and their families. Mental health clinicians with expertise in play therapy use their own properly trained dogs or work as a team with therapy dog handlers to deliver this unique intervention. In CAPT, playful child-canine interactions are systematically used to make progress toward therapeutic goals. This approach capitalizes on children's fascination with animals and their natural inclination to "play out" their perceptions, interests, feelings, and struggles. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to be effective in counseling, as has play therapy. This poster provides an overview of CAPT, summarizes research completed to date, and provides resources on the topic.