Learn from the Best in Animal Assisted Therapy and Education with Dreamcatcher™ Academy

Dreamcatcher™ is one of the leading organizations in Animal Assisted Therapy in Canada and is proud to teach others to the highest global standards in the growing field of Animal Assisted Services. 
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​Dreamcatcher™ Animal Assisted Wellness Academy officially became a separate entity in 2016, although it has formally offered its services since 2005. This includes the development of AAT courses, college diplomas, internships, workshops, seminars, certification for professionals and the training and certification for Human Services Assistance Animals (HSAA).
Eileen's Passion

Eileen’s passion for teaching began at the age of 15 when, as a Sergeant in Air Cadets, she led her own flight of underlings. This continued into the Army Reserves where she taught Medical Augmentees throughout her 5 year career as a Field Medic. Eileen has since worked as a Sessional Instructor of Introductory Psychology at the King’s University.
 
Eileen began offering trainings in Animal Assisted Interventions in 2005 after 2 years of offering Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and mental health services to the public. During this time, she discovered that there were many people who were interested in learning more about working with animals in practice. Eileen formally established the Dreamcatcher™ Animal Assisted Wellness Academy after immersing herself in extensive research and study in the theories and concepts of AAT from other countries and practices occurring around the world.
 
As Eileen’s private practice Dreamcatcher™ grew larger, it became known as a teaching facility for undergraduate and graduate students. They came from Universities around Canada to learn how to work safely and ethically with animals in mental health practices.  Professionals from Lakeland College attended an AAT training one summer and were extremely interested in offering educational courses to their students. This was the catalyst for Eileen to design and implement the first college accredited course in AAT in the western provinces, and then later to partner with Lakeland College to offer the first post secondary certificate in AAT in English in Canada. She has also chaired the National Task Force on Standards and Certification in AAT and recently assisted with the development of the first National Standards in Canada for Animals in Service.
 
Eileen is President of the Animal Assisted Therapy Chapter in the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She presents the concepts, techniques, and benefits of AAT nationally at conferences and agency-level presentations while speaking to the healing power of animals and nature. She provides intensive hands-on trainings in AAT to national and international students through Dreamcatcher™’s certification process and will travel to other organizations to help develop and implement their animal assisted programs. Furthermore, Eileen supervises provisional psychologists and has transformed Dreamcatcher™ into a teaching facility offering internships and practicum placements to students pursuing post secondary education in helping professions. For more information on these services and teachings, please email [email protected]

National Standards in Animal-Assisted Human Services


​We are proud to announce that there are finally National Standards in Animal-Assisted Human Services.
Many years ago, our Founder and Lead Therapist, Eileen Bona, had spent many years leading a committee in the hopes of developing standards in the country for working with animals in practice to no avail.
In the past two years, she was a member of the Animal Assisted Services Technical Committee of Canada which was developed by the Canadian Foundation for Animal Assisted Services and the Human Research Standards Organization to create standards for working with animals in human services. While these standards are currently voluntary, they set the foundation for any animal assisted practice providing services to the public, ensuring transparency and accountability in their delivery, establishing essential requirements and best practices in their administration, governance and services, and encouraging safe and ethical practice for both service providers and their animals.
Presently, as Animal-Assisted Human Services are not regulated, the services received can be inconsistent and confusing, and the quality of these services cannot always be guaranteed. The absence of National Standards has had the potential to harm clients, the public, and the animals involved, while impacting the credibility of service providers and essential resources. As Dreamcatcher™ has always provided services with the highest ethical standards and has taught other professionals in the same way, we are relieved and excited to see these National Standards be available for all Animal Assisted Human Services providers.
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To access and download the published NSC version, please visit this link:
​The Canadian Standards for Development of a Management System for Animal-Assisted Human Services​

Introduction to Animal Assisted Therapy Webinar

Get a general overview of the ways people can partner with animals to help others, gain information about qualifications needed, where to get training and how to start! Click here to purchase our 'Intro to AAS Webinar'

Professional Training

Learn how to ethically and effectively integrate animals into your helping profession! 
Click here for the Certification Steps in Animal Assisted Human Services
Click here for more information on the Certification in Animal Assisted Services.

Canine Training​

Are you interested in working alongside your dog to help others? Set you and your dog up for success!
Click here for the Certification in Canine Assisted Interventions Steps
Click here for more information on Canine Evaluation 
Click here for more information on our Canine Training Classes
Learn more about Animal Assisted Services
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Terminology and Definitions of AAI -  written by Eileen Bona M.Ed. Registered Psychologist, Dreamcatcher™
AAI Certification Programs -  written by Eileen Bona M.Ed. Registered Psychologist, Dreamcatcher™
Animal Assisted Education (AAE) -  written by Eileen Bona M.Ed. Registered Psychologist, Dreamcatcher™

    Contact us for more information.

Special Notice

Dreamcatcher™ does not provide animal assisted services training to anyone who will be:
  • Practicing Animal Assisted Services in a farm animal setting within a 50km radius of the Dreamcatcher™ facility
  • Practicing equine facilitated work in the same manner as Dreamcatcher™ within a 50 km radius of Dreamcatcher™.
​This includes but is not limited to: individual therapy, group therapy, skill building, team building, specialized camps and retreats, teaching and training, field trips and other services that are specific to Animal Assisted Services.