Cambridge Institute of Dog Behaviour & Training

The course is designed for professionals supporting owners and carers of pets who have experienced a pet or animal bereavement within occupations including veterinary, instructional, policing, and voluntary or welfare, and general counselling practice sectors.

Upon completion of this module students will be able to:

• Understand and demonstrate how counselling skills are successfully utilised within an ethical framework
• Understand and practice diversity
• Understand the dynamics of counselling, to include the differences between the role as professional versus helper in the grieving process
• Understand confidentiality and the law
• Develop effective record keeping and client agreement protocols
• Develop and apply basic counselling theoretical practices
• Develop and demonstrate self-awareness and interpersonal skills
• Understand the power and value of the human-animal bond
• Analyse animal versus human loss
• Understand the stages of counselling
• Conduct basic client interviews
• Develop basic client plans

Breakdown of your studies:

Phase One (Home Study)
Understanding the ethical framework of counselling
Understanding and practising diversity (personal belief systems) in counselling
Addressing case discussion questions

Phase Two (Home Study)
Understanding confidentiality and the law in counselling
Learning how to design your own record keeping system and agreement and/or contract with the client
Understanding theoretical approaches to counselling
Assessing one’s unique qualities and skills as a counsellor
Analysing body language from the perspective of counsellor and/or client
Defining empathy as a component of counselling
Conducting an independent counselling interview

Phase Three (Home Study)
Researching the human-animal bond and the power and value of this relationship
Researching Attachment Theory
Understanding the five stages of loss
Understanding pet bereavement versus human loss and grief
Understanding the three stages of counselling
Devising a client plan
Final course summary