Presented by: Aaron Norton, Ph.D., LMHC, LMFT, CFMHE, CFBA
Emotional Support Puppies, Peacocks, and Tarantulas; Oh, My! The Clinical Mental Health Counselor’s Role in Addressing Client Requests for Emotional Support Animals
Event On-Demand
CE Hours 2.0 General Hours and 1.0 Hours Ethics/Professional Boundaries (3.0 Hours Total)
Description
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are increasingly popular, and mental health counselors are receiving requests from clients (and non-clients) for documentation that can be used to obtain ESA designation for pets, yet few counselors have been trained to assess the need for ESAs. Assessment of the need for ESAs requires knowledge of disability, the role of ESAs in symptom reduction and quality of life, the difference between ESAs and service animals, ethical considerations for recommendation of ESAs, contraindications for ESAs, and the law and ESAs. This program will aid clinicians in obtaining this knowledge and feeling prepared to address client requests for letters documenting the need for ESAs.
Learning Objectives
This workshop will explore the basics of domestic abuse and what we can do to help in the therapeutic and church settings. We will also learn what we might do that hinders healing. Some of the topics and objectives to be addressed are:
- Define emotional support animals (ESAs) and differentiate ESAs from service animals.
- Describe the legal and ethical ramifications for recommending ESAs for clients.
- List several recommended practices for addressing requests for ESA eligibility letters.
About the Presenter
Aaron Norton, Ph.D., LMHC, LMFT, CFMHE, CFBA
Dr. Aaron Norton is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy serving as Executive Director of the National Board of Forensic Evaluators, Adjunct Instructor at the University of South Florida, Southern Regional Director for the American Mental Health Counselors Association, and Past-President of the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association. He has nearly 20 years of clinical and forensic experience at Integrity Counseling, Inc., was awarded Mental Health Counselor of the Year by the American Mental Health Counselors Association and Counselor Educator of the Year by the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association in 2016, Researcher of the Year by Florida Mental Health Counselors Association in 2020, and has been published in several social science journals and professional magazines in clinical mental health counseling.
Sponsored by the Graduate Counseling Program of Palm Beach Atlantic University and South Florida Association of Christian Counselors
This workshop has been approved for CE Hours 2.0 General Hours and 1.0 Hours Ethics/Professional Boundaries (3.0 Hours Total) of continuing education with the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, & Mental Health Counseling
CE Broker Tracking # 20-890172 (CE Broker Provider BAP #820).
