Date: September 18, 2026
Time: 9-12 noon
Modality: Zoom
Presenter: Stacey Gillette, MSW, LCSW
This is a virtual course, and will take place over Zoom.
A link to this virtual course will be sent one week prior to the event.
$45.00 SLU Alumni and pre-registered SLU practicum instructors
$65.00 All others
Title: Horses, Healing, and the Code: Suicide Prevention and Ethical Considerations in Animal Assisted Therapies
*Meets Ethics and Suicide Requirements (1.5 CEH each)
Animal Certificate
Learning Objectives:
Identify and differentiate between types of animal-assisted interventions and related professional roles, including ethical and organizational standards with a specific focus on equine-assisted therapies.
Discuss suicide prevention and clinical interventions that balance client needs and animal welfare, such as recognizing when an animal’s behavior (e.g., physically blocking interactions) may indicate emotional overwhelm on both sides.
Apply the NASW Code of Ethics to common scenarios involving animal-assisted therapies, with a focus on suicide prevention
Develop SMART goals for integrating animals into therapeutic practice while ensuring client safety, animal welfare, and evidence-based treatment alignment to meet psychotherapeutic goals for clients
Course Description: This CE course explores the integration of animals into therapeutic social work practice. Participants will examine the historical foundations, types, and applications of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), with specific attention on equine-assisted therapies. This CE will focus on ethical considerations, proper animal welfare, and alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics. This ethical focus is especially important when using AAT with clients who may be at risk of suicide. Therefore, this CE will also evaluate the role of animal-assisted therapy in suicide prevention, with a discussion on strategies to enhance client resilience and bolster protective factors. Observation and intervention skills needed to protect the well-being of the animals involved while ensuring that the animals and clients are not unduly stressed or burdened during high-emotion therapeutic interactions will be discussed. Through case discussions, interactive exercises, and review of various certification models, the course emphasizes ethical decision-making, animal consent, practitioner competence, and goal setting in animal-assisted interventions. This CE is designed to help social workers ethically and effectively consider and possibly incorporate animal-assisted approaches into their professional practice.
Bio: Stacey Gillette, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and a clinical certified trauma professional. She graduated from Saint Louis University School of Social Work in 2015 and founded a non-profit equine therapy program located in Farmington, MO. Stacey's specialties include treating PTSD, depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder through cognitive-behavioral approaches.
Price:
$65.00