[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-281111-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-281111-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","interdisciplinary-ethical-decision-making-for-emotional-support-animal-recommendations-workshop-overview","INTERDISCIPLINARY ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL RECOMMENDATIONS - Workshop Overview","","Interdisciplinary guidance for ethical decision-making when mental health providers receive requests to recommend emotional support animals. Clarifies the human-animal bond’s role in human wellness and addresses common misconceptions driven by evolving terminology and sensational media coverage. Defines key distinctions among emotional support, service, and therapy animals, outlines relevant taxonomy, policies, access considerations, and potential risks and welfare concerns, and highlights recommended documentation and ethical process steps for professionals.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/presentations/","Presentations",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/interdisciplinary-ethical-decision-making-for-emotional-support-animal-recommendations-workshop-overview/281111/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/interdisciplinary-ethical-decision-making-for-emotional-support-animal-recommendations-workshop-overview/281111.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Mason","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-09-16",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",10,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why is ethical decision-making important for emotional support animal recommendations?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The therapeutic use of the human-animal bond has become popular and sensationalized, leading to misuse and misunderstanding. 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Therapy animals support therapeutic interactions in partnership with a healthcare or human service provider and are typically only allowed where invited.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How does taxonomy help professionals respond to emotional support animal requests?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Clear taxonomy and role differentiation among helper animals reduces confusion, supports correct understanding of access rights, and helps professionals align responses with governing policies and regulations.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},281111,1791739983,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,93,98,103,108,113,118,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},11,90,"presentations",{"id":89,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":90,"show_sort_weight":91,"slug":92},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":94,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":85,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":136,"language":137,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":138,"faqs":139,"seo_title":140,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":141,"read_time":142},5909887256941,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","INTERDISCIPLINARY ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL RECOMMENDATIONS  \nLESLIE A. STEWART, PHD, LCPC  \nASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF COUNSELING  \n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \n“A MUTUALLY-BENEFICIAL AND DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND  \nANIMALS”(AVMA, 2017)  \nTHE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND (HAB)  \n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \nPLETHORA OF CONFUSION!  \nMany are curious about the role of the Human-Animal Bond inhuman wellness.  \n¡ Much confusion and misunderstanding occurs about the role of animals in human wellness .  \n¡ Terminology and taxonomy relevant to HAB and HAIs are still in development and will likely continue to evolve .  \n¡ Sensationalized and inaccurate media coverage and inaccurate professional writing contributes to many false assumptions and misunderstanding.  \nMany different applications of the HAB exist, each promoting unique wellness goals, and requiring different preparation.  \nHAIs are NOT:  \nA Panacea  \nOne-Size-Fits-All  \nUniversally Beneficial  \nJust about the Benefitting the Human  \n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \nEMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL REQUESTS  \n¡ As the therapeutic application of the human-animal bond becomes increasingly popular and sensationalized, more and more mental health providers are being asked to provide letters for emotional support animals.  \n¡ Misuse and misunderstanding about ESA legislation creates problems for all professionals who work with animals, as it contributes to both public and professional skepticism.  \n¡ This is a complex decision that requires formal processes ethical decision-making.  \n¡ As professionals, we are in a unique position to educate ourselves and others about appropriate responses to requests for emotional support animals.  \n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \nIN THIS WORKSHOP YOU WILL LEARN:  \n¡ Appropriate Taxonomy and Role Differentiation Among Helper Animals  \n¡ Access Considerations and Governing Policies & Regulations  \n¡ Potential Risks and Welfare Considerations  \n¡ Ethical Decision-Making  \n¡ Recommended Documentation  \n¡ HAB Beyond ESAs: Supporting Healthy Human-Animal Relationships in Treatment  \n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \nTAXONOMY, POLICIES & ACCESS  \nChapter 1  \n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \nTAXONOMY MATTERS:THE ANIMALS  \n| Companion Animal |  | Working Animal |  |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| A personal pet of any species which functions as companion\u003Cbr>to a human caregiver |  | Animals are specially trained to perform work functions |  |\n| Emotional Support Animal (ESA) | Therapy Animal | Service/Assistance Animal | Other Working Animals |\n| An animal of various species (excluding venomous animals or wildlife), supported by a physician or mental health professional based upon a disability-specific need. Does not perform specific tasks (FHA, 1986). | A specially trained and evaluated animal, meeting specific criteria, which is included as an integral part of a goal-directed treatment process which must be directly relevant to a person’s overall treatment plan. | Any dog that is individually trained to do perform specific tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. Including physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability (ADA, 1990). | Animal of various species that is specially selected, trained, and prepared for a working role. Examples include, but are not limited to: herding dogs, flock guards, pack/draft animals, military working dogs, police dogs, FEMA dogs. |\n\n© 2020 Leslie A. Stewart, PhD  \nHELPER ANIMAL FAQ  \n|  | Species | Role | Training | Access Rights |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Service/ Assistance Animal | Dogs only (rare exceptions for mini horses) | Performance of specific tasks directly related to a person’s diagnosed disability | Advanced and intensive disabilityspecific, individual training and rigorous suitability and temperament evaluations. Typical 2+ years and $25K Training. | General public access |\n| Therapy Animal | Dogs, cats, horses, llamas/alpaca, guinea pi","cbCaisoqnHcSrbo2","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisoqnHcSrbo2","pdf",10450734,38,"English","# Emotional Support Animal Recommendations\n## Human-Animal Bond (HAB) and Common Misconceptions\n## Emotional Support Animal Requests\n## Workshop Learning Outcomes\n## Taxonomy, Policies & Access\n## Helper Animal FAQ\n## Differences Among ESA, Service, and Therapy Animals","[{\"question\":\"Why is ethical decision-making important for emotional support animal recommendations?\",\"answer\":\"The therapeutic use of the human-animal bond has become popular and sensationalized, leading to misuse and misunderstanding. Ethical decision-making requires formal processes to support accurate, appropriate responses.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the key differences among ESA, service, and therapy animals?\",\"answer\":\"ESA primarily supports one individual and provides comfort without performing specific tasks or requiring formal training. Service animals perform specific tasks for a disability and have general public access. Therapy animals support therapeutic interactions in partnership with a healthcare or human service provider and are typically only allowed where invited.\"},{\"question\":\"How does taxonomy help professionals respond to emotional support animal requests?\",\"answer\":\"Clear taxonomy and role differentiation among helper animals reduces confusion, supports correct understanding of access rights, and helps professionals align responses with governing policies and regulations.\"}]","INTERDISCIPLINARY ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL RECOMMENDATIONS - Workshop Overview | PDF",1789564220,13]