Episode 88 Animal Assisted Therapy & Learning To Love Your Authentic Self: Interview with Annalisa Smithson
What is animal-assisted therapy? How can you learn to love your authentic self through animals?
MEET Annalisa Smithson
Annalisa is the founder and director of Unleashed Counseling. She is a board-certified counselor licensed in the state of Pennsylvania, specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy and animal-assisted therapy. She has presented research at national mental health conferences, including the American Psychological Association, the Association for Women in Psychology, and the Pennsylvania Counseling Association.
Annalisa is the author of two books, Emotional Support Animals (2021) and Unconditional, and has published research in several peer-reviewed journals including Psychology in the Schools and the Journal of the PCA. Prior to becoming a counselor, she worked as a fundraising professional for Lehigh University. She holds a Master of Education in Counseling & Human Services and a Master of Arts in the Anthropology of Development and Social Transformation.
Find out more about Annalisa at Animal-Assisted Therapy and connect with her on Facebook
Unconditional: Learning to Love Your Authentic Self by Annalisa Smithson
IN THIS PODCAST:
- What makes it hard for people to be authentic? 3:05
- Integrating animal-assisted therapy into your practice 7:25
- What are the benefits of animal-assisted therapy? 14:43
- How can therapists show up more authentically in their sessions? 19:27
What Makes It Hard For People To Be Authentic?
- Assessing the messages that we receive growing up
- How does authenticity affect therapists just starting out?
- Learning to trust not only your knowledge but your intuition as well
- Overcoming perfectionism
Integrating Animal-Assisted Therapy Into Your Practice
- What kind of animals are best for animal-assisted therapy
- How to bring mindfulness into therapy with animals
- Learning to love ourselves unconditionally through animals
- Different ways to integrate animal-assisted therapy into your practice
What Are The Benefits Of Animal-Assisted Therapy?
- Learning to trust your animal to assist in guiding sessions
- Using animals to inspire new conversations with clients
- Utilizing animal-assisted rapport building?
- Adapting a supportive character technique with your therapy support animal
How Can Therapists Show Up More Authentically In Their Sessions?
- The importance of having your own support system as a therapist
- Why self-care is so important for therapists
- Connecting with others in your field
- The importance of creating a mission statement about who you are
Connect With Me
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Resources Mentioned And Useful Links:
Find out more about Annalisa at Animal-Assisted Therapy and connect with her on Facebook
Unconditional: Learning to Love Your Authentic Self by Annalisa Smithson