Animal-Assisted Interventions

In-person Workshop
Friday April 19, 2024
10:00am - 1:00pm

1 Washington Square North, New York NY 10003

NYSED and ASWB/ACE approved for 3 CE contact hours

This workshop will offer a comprehensive foundation in animal-assisted intervention topics focusing on the knowledge and skills needed to integrate animals into clinical mental health practice in ethically sound ways and in keeping with the values of the social work profession. 

As a result of attending this workshop, participants will:

1. Be able to identify and understand the foundational theories and empirical research that underpin the therapeutic benefits of animal-assisted interactions.
2. Gain knowledge in designing and implementing effective animal-assisted interventions tailored to diverse populations, ensuring both human and animal welfare.
3. Develop the skills to evaluate the outcomes of animal-assisted interactions, incorporating feedback to refine and optimize their therapeutic approaches.

Dr. Katherine Compitus

Katherine Compitus is a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU Silver School of Social Work as well as Chair of the Practice Curriculum Area and Director of the School’s Animal-Assisted Interventions post-masters program. She is a Colombian-American doctor of clinical social work, licensed bilingual clinical social worker, and biopsychologist. Her research focuses on trauma studies, specifically within the human-animal bond, with a focus on the disproportionate systemic oppression of people of color. This includes an examination of multiple aspects of society, including social policy, mental health services, crisis intervention and the social determinants of health. Dr. Compitus is the author of the Zooeyia blog on PsychologyToday.com where she discusses crisis intervention in the human-animal bond and she is the author of The Human-Animal Bond and Clinical Social Work Practice (Springer, 2021).  

Dr. Compitus has worked extensively in clinical social work and is passionate about promoting health equity for people of color.  She worked for several years in the psychiatric emergency room of Garnet Hospital, has provided bilingual family therapy in a school setting through Andrus, and was a social work manager at Montefiore Medical Group in the Bronx, where she co-managed 60 social workers at 23 sites.  She is trained in multiple modalities including Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, CBT and DBT and is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Certified Family Trauma Therapist. Dr. Compitus is the founder and chairman of Surrey Hills Sanctuary, a non-profit organization providing veterinary social work services in New York State.  Her work with animals includes providing animal-assisted therapy to adolescent and adult trauma survivors, as well as fundraising for people with pets who are in crisis. She also designed the curriculum and currently teaches NYU Silver’s Human-Animal Bond course, which includes a thorough examination of the dehumanization of people of color by oppressive institutions.  

Dr. Compitus earned both her DSW and MSW from New York University. She also holds an MSEd and an MA in Biopsychology. Dr. Compitus has been an educator, working with children and families in the NYC area, for over 20 years.  She previously taught elementary and early childhood education courses at CUNY BMCC and was an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University and Fordham University.

Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW

Susan Dowd Stone is an author, advocate, educator, and therapist best known for her work in the cognitive therapies and women's reproductive mental health. She was instrumental in the inclusion of legislation protective to women and infants in the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act and has led nonprofit organizations associated with this cause. She has also studied the human animal bond, including advocacy and animal welfare and has been involved in animal assisted activities in clinical work. She is a former public reviewer for the National Institute of Mental Health and a recipient of numerous awards for clinical work and mental health advocacy. She maintains a private practice in Closter, NJ.

Her areas of interest/research include advocating for the use of evidence-based practices in clinical treatment,  women's reproductive mental health and the human animal bond.

Susan earned her MSW from New York University where she was the recipient of a President's Service Award for Community Service for psychiatric work with animals.

General Admission: $60.00

Available Discounts: 

• NYU Alumni (10% off): $54
• Current Practicum Instructors/Educational Coordinators (10% off): $54

If after registering, you determine that you can no longer attend this event, The Office of Global and Lifelong Learning will issue refunds on the following basis:

• Refund requests made on or before April 12, 2024 (by midnight): full refund
• Refund requests made on or before April 16, 2024 (by midnight): 50% refund
• Refund requests made on or after April 17, 2024: no refund

If this event is cancelled, all registrants will be fully reimbursed. To withdraw from and be reimbursed for this event, please complete the event withdrawal form.

NYSED and ASWB/ACE approved for 3 Continuing Education Contact Hours.

55 jurisdictions accept ACE-approved provider CE contact hours. ACE is not an approved Continuing Education provider in the states of New York (though NYU Silver is NYSED CE approved in NYS) and West Virginia, unless the event is outside of West VA. ACE only approves individual courses in New Jersey, though NYU Silver is CSWE-accredited and therefore accepted for licensed NJ professionals. Here is a full list of statutes related to social work CE.

Special Accommodations:
Students requiring accommodations have the opportunity to make these known upon registering or by writing to silver.continuingeducation@nyu.edu.

Addressing Grievances:
For information on our grievance and complaint procedures, contact 212.998.9099 or silver.continuingeducation@nyu.edu.

Note on Accessibility:
It is a priority to make our events inclusive and accessible. For any questions or to notify us of a request, please email silver.continuingeducation@nyu.edu at least 72 hours before the event.

NYU Silver School of Social Work
Office of Global and Lifelong Learning
285 Mercer Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10003

Email: silver.continuingeducation@nyu.edu
Phone: 212.998.5973
Fax: 212.995.4497