Learn how to ethically and effectively integrate animals into your helping Profession!
Why Get Certified in AAI?
At Dreamcatcher™ Animal Assisted Wellness Academy, we have been educating people from around the world to the highest standards in Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) for more than a decade. There is no other helping medium quite like working with animals. In order to ensure these AAI programs are safe, ethical and effective, it is vital that professionals hoping to work with animals within their scope of practice first gain the necessary knowledge and skill.
Including a sentient being of an entirely different species within your work with people can be exhilarating, heartwarming, joyful and effective but without enough preparation for both the professional and the animal it can become frustrating, overwhelming, confusing and even dangerous!
At Dreamcatcher™ Animal Assisted Wellness Academy, we have worked extensively to offer the most in-depth and comprehensive education and certification in Canada. If you are in a helping profession, have a passion for animals and would like to explore how you can partner with an animal safely and effectively within your scope of practice, we have a program tailored to your needs!
Including a sentient being of an entirely different species within your work with people can be exhilarating, heartwarming, joyful and effective but without enough preparation for both the professional and the animal it can become frustrating, overwhelming, confusing and even dangerous!
At Dreamcatcher™ Animal Assisted Wellness Academy, we have worked extensively to offer the most in-depth and comprehensive education and certification in Canada. If you are in a helping profession, have a passion for animals and would like to explore how you can partner with an animal safely and effectively within your scope of practice, we have a program tailored to your needs!
Start your AAI Journey with Dreamcatcher™ by choosing one of our 2 unique programs that best fit your needs!
Our 2022 AAI Training dates have concluded. If you would like a private training for your organization, contact us with the form below!
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Join us for our..
Animal Assisted Interventions Introductory Workshop! Friday May 26, 2023 This one day workshop will introduce you to working with a variety of species in therapeutic or educational contexts, while providing information and education about animal behaviour and communication in the species of your choice! This workshop is not part our certification process, but will give you the opportunity to learn more about the intricacies of animal assisted intervention and what it entails to work with them ethically. Options to attend both in person and virtually are offered. 
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Join us for our..
Exploring Animal Assisted Intervention Internship! June 9 - 11, 2023 This training is experiential and includes education about how canines, equines and farm animals may be incorporated into therapeutic and educational settings and professions. Tailored to suit the needs of participants, this training may be focused more on one species than another (e.g., canines vs equines). Participants attend the training at the Dreamcatcher ranch and partake in a combination of theoretical and hands-on applications while exploring the intricacies of AAI fields to learn how to ethically integrate animals into a therapeutic or educational setting. This training is part of Dreamcatcher™ certification in Animal Assisted Interventions. Options to attend both in person and virtually are offered. 
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Special Notice
Dreamcatcher™ does not provide animal assisted services training to anyone who will be:
Dreamcatcher™ does not provide animal assisted services training to anyone who will be:
- Practicing Animal Assisted Interventions 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™.
Want to Learn More About The Benefits of AAI
and What Dreamcatcher™ Can Offer You?
Please View Our Videos Below!
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Meet your Instructor!
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EILEEN BONA Eileen is a past Sessional Instructor of Introductory Psychology at King’s University and she designed Canada’s first college-accredited course in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). She offered the only certification in Animal Assisted Therapy through Dreamcatcher and has now partnered with Lakeland College to offer the first college certificate in AAT in English in Canada. She is currently the President of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and is working toward developing Standards and Certification for Animal Assisted Therapy in our country. Eileen presents the concept and techniques of Animal Assisted Therapy nationally at conferences and agency-level presentations. She provides intensive training in Animal Assisted Therapy in both Workshop and Internship formats at Dreamcatcher™ to national and international students as well as travels to help other organizations develop and implement their Animal Assisted programs. |