AAI 4 | Embodied Social Work Practice with Animal Partners Experiential

Monday, June 8, 2026, 6:30 PM–7:30 PM ET through Sunday, June 14, 2026, 9:00 AM–1:00 PM ET

Please note that this experiential course is conducted in-person in Dexter, Michigan. Participants completing this course should plan to be on site on June 13th and 14th, 2026.

Continuing Education Offered

• 7.5 hours regular in-person
• 1 hour regular synchronous interactive online

Description

The purpose of this course is to practice reflexive and embodied awareness with animals and human partners - the interpersonal skills needed to become culturally sensitive practitioners of Animal Assisted Interventions. Through experiential exercises in individual and group modalities, this course provides the opportunity for participants to practice the essential skills of mindfulness, self-awareness, observation, engagement, interpretation, assessment, and intervention in the context of Animal Assisted Interventions.

Objectives

1. Describe an example of a sensory mindfulness exercise to apply with others in a natural setting.
2. Apply knowledge of animal ethology, welfare, arousal signals through interactions with various species of farm animals.
3. Practice observation with animal partners to build effective assessment skills.
4. Practice engagement with animal partners to build effective assessment skills.
5. Apply reflexive and embodied awareness of animal communication.
6. Apply group practice skills with human and animal partners.
7. Apply reflexive intervention strategies.
8. Facilitate social/ emotional learning through a large group challenge activity with animal partners.

Agenda

Monday, June 8, 2026 - ONLINE

• 6:30pm–7:30pm Orientation Webinar

Saturday, June 13, 2026 - IN PERSON

• 1:00pm–2:00pm Three things - three senses mindfulness exercise and discussion of mindfulness interventions
• 2:00pm–4:00pm Learning Animal ethology, welfare and arousal signals though a farm tour that center a variety of animal species
• 4:00pm–5:00pm Experiential practice in observation and engagement with chosen animal partners

Sunday, June 14, 2026 - IN PERSON

• 9:00am–9:30am Embody your animal exercise
• 9:30am–10:30am Small Group Challenge Experience with Animal Partners to practice interpersonal group practice skills
• 10:30am–12:00pm Animal Assisted Therapy Demonstration session with class participants
• 12:00pm–12:30pm Social/emotional learning through a large group animal challenge experience

Instructor

Laura Sanders, LMSW, ACSW

CE Approval Statement

The University of Michigan School of Social Work, provider #1212, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The University of Michigan School of Social Work maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 5/15/2023-5/15/2026.

Social workers participating in this course will receive 8.5 general continuing education contact hours.

Please see the CE Policies page for more information about continuing education.