Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioral Scientists

Lori Kogan, Phyllis Erdman, Lori Kogan, Phyllis Erdman

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000373097
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Medical Theory, Practice & Reference

Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioral Scientists is an essential text for students and professionals wanting to pursue a career in human-animal interaction (HAI). It is exclusively designed to navigate this field and provide information on the best education, training, and background one might need to incorporate HAI into a successful career.

Kogan and Erdman bring together a diverse range of insights from HAI social scientists who have secured or created their HAI job. The book highlights six categories of work settings: academia, private practice, corporations/for profit companies, non-profit organizations, government, and other positions, to show the growing number of opportunities to blend social science interests with the desire to incorporate HAI into their careers.

The book clearly outlines the career paths available to social science students and professionals, from careers connected to human services of psychology, therapy, social work, and journalism, to research or other scholarship.

Part I

Academic—Traditional

1 From Biopsychology to Human Behavioural Work to HAI Research

One Academician’s Path

Anne Barnfield

Anne Barnfield, DPhil, is an associate professor of psychology at Brescia University College. Her current research focuses on equine-assisted/ facilitated activities including beneficial influences of therapeutic riding (TR) for children with special needs, and applications of Equine-Assisted Therapy/Psychotherapy (EAT/EAP) for treatment of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for military veterans and emergency services personnel.

The academic psychologist may be thought of as being on the more “scientific” side of psychology, and so on a straightforward career pathway. The course of an academician’s research path, however, does not always take a straight line from A to B. One might start out in a specific field but then travel through a variety of areas within psychology across the course of a career, arriving at—perhaps—an unexpected destination!

The great thing about scientific research is that it is “finding out”—why things happen, what is going on, and how we can change behaviours. Research looks at “hows” and “whys” and understanding these so as to change things for the better—to be of use. Scientific method is objective and allows us to make reasoned decisions. Assumptions can be faulty; research helps us to arrive at factual conclusions.

It was the “finding out” aspect of scientific enquiry that first engaged me in my school years. Once I could make choices, I studied primarily scientific subjects. I continued my education, first using my scientific background to take a BSc degree—a joint degree, in psychology and biology. Here was my first turning point, branching off from “pure” science down a new, and different, pathway. Although it started as an interest, taken to fulfill a requirement, psychology became the focus of my studies. A course in biopsychology was another turning point—here was a perfect fit between the sciences of biology and chemistry and my new main interest, psychology. I went on to post-graduate studies, to a DPhil in experimental psychology. I moved further along what was becoming a winding path, allying biochemistry with behaviourism in behavioural analyses of drug effects on neurotransmitters.

My first post-doctoral position was as a research assistant in a neurochemistry laboratory. Although this seems like a purely psychobiology position, I brought behavioural analysis into the neurochemistry work being done in the department. Further post-doctoral positions were also in research laboratories, but now in universities. By this time, married to a Canadian, I had moved to Canada.

Changing place geographically led to changes in my research, something that often happens to academics. Once established in a full-time faculty position, I had to change my research focus. My path curved again, and I moved into more strictly behavioural work, with studies on spatial representations and development of spatial abilities, and some work on American Sign Language (ASL) and visuo-spatial abilities. As I moved on, I developed interest in the behavioural and cognitive effects of sport and exercise participation and began to study the effects of sport and physical activity, particularly child/youth participation.

At this point, a chance encounter led to another turn in the pathway. As a university faculty member, I was expected to supervise undergraduate research. I had become interested in horses and, with a student who shared my interests, planned a study on the effectiveness of TR, investigating TR’s emotional and cognitive-behavioural effects. This branch of the pathway led me to a whole new area—the study of EAT/EAP’s effects.

My current research is on the effectiveness of equine-assisted/facilitated interventions, particularly therapies/psychotherapies for mental health issues with a focus on the treatment of PTSD in military veterans and emergency services personnel. The findings so far are all positive: the participants have all been helped by EAT/EAP’s and are enthusiastic about taking part in this type of therapy, more so than for other formats.

Being a university faculty member has challenges, but also benefits. Faculty are expected to engage in three main aspects of workload: teaching, research, and service (administration, committee work, etc.). Classes can be scheduled at different times and in different terms, meaning that one’s schedule may completely change from semester to semester. For many faculty, most time spent outside of teaching time is dedicated to research and writing. Work often needs to be done at home, in evenings and on weekends; papers must be marked, research planned or written up, and so on. Academia is not a nine-to-five job!

An academic will, of course, study and work in a certain discipline; those interested in history work in that field, those interested in politics become political scientists. We choose those studies and work which are of most interest to us, but within specific areas situations often change. Whilst it is possible to plan out a research career in one, specific discipline, often the course is not clear—one has to go where work is available and take the positions offered. There are many graduates with master’s and doctoral degrees, but fewer faculty positions; it may be difficult to find work directly in one’s area of specialty. I would say, however, don’t be afraid of not taking a straight-line route, but follow where the path leads. For myself, a long and winding pathway has led to an interesting career and a rewarding area of study: Human-Animal Interaction research.

2 A Twist in the Tale (or Is That Tail?)

How I Apply Health Psychology to the Human-Animal Bond

Anna Chur-Hansen

Anna Chur-Hansen is a professor who lives in Adelaide, South Australia. She holds a PhD in medical education, which she completed in the discipline of psychiatry in the School of Medicine at the University of Adelaide, and is a registered psychologist with an area of practice endorsement in health psychology from the Psychology Board of Australia.

I am the first in my family to attend university. My parents were tradespeople—my father a small goods butcher, my mother a hairdresser. As a primary school student, I had a “calling”—I knew that I would one day work in a hospital. I had no role models and knew nothing about what that really meant, but I was strongly drawn to the health professions from a young age. In secondary school I volunteered every weekend at a nursing home where my career path was cemented. I started studying psychology at the University of Adelaide and worked at two nursing homes, every Saturday and Sunday morning for six years, to fund my studies.

In my early years we lived on a farm, and from birth I have always lived with domestic and other animals. At the time of writing I am the devoted fur-parent of a west Highland terrier, Clarence (Clarrie) Bruce Jones, and a cairn terrier, Ralph Albert (Bertie) Jones.

I am a professor at the University of Adelaide in the School of Psychology. I started my career as an academic in the School of Medicine, in psychiatry, based in the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where I taught medical students health psychology, psychological medicine and behavioural sciences. That was in 1987—I remained in psychiatry until the end of 2013, when I moved to psychology to become the Head of the School. I completed two terms as Head (six years), and currently I have returned to the role of teacher and researcher—in other words, a “regular” academic post.

I am endorsed as a health psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. As a health psychologist, I subscribe to the biopsychosocial model, and I conceptualise health as holistic and interrelated. I believe that our physical, mental, psychological, emotional, social, cultural, spiritual and community health all impact one another, and a person is best understood by considering all those component parts. Each week I consult at a general/family practice surgery and see up to four clients per week for various health-related presentations, drawing on that philosophical framework to inform my practice.

My research, teaching and clinical practice are all broadly around food and eating, sex and relationships, pain, and death and dying. My PhD was in medical education: I am very interested in the ways in which we train health professionals and how they, and their patients, experience interactions in health settings. Part of my work involves the study of the human-animal bond (HAB) from a biopsychosocial model. Not only do I apply HAB work in my clinical practice, I research the impact on people’s mental and physical health, including people who work with animals, such as veterinarians and veterinary nurses.

I am privileged and blessed to have my career; I have the opportunity to study and research areas that can really make a difference in people’s lives. I work with amazing students—from the incoming undergraduates to the honours, master’s and PhD students I am fortunate to supervise. I get to meet, talk and collaborate with incredible colleagues in my own discipline and university, and also from all over South Australia, Australia and internationally.

There are of course challenges in working in the university sector and also in being a practising psychologist. Universities need to increase revenue and so academic staff must attract students and grant funding and publish high quality research in the best journals possible. Despite our best efforts, these can be somewhat uncontrollable outcome variables—competition is tough. As a psychologist, I find it important to look after myself; I regularly engage in peer supervision and take time for rest and reflection.

What Helped Me Succeed

Looking back on my trajectory, there are several factors that I think were central to helping me on my journey and which remain important. First, throughout my school years, I had a group of wonderful friends who kept me engaged and connected. One of those people remains my best friend; next year will be our 40th anniversary of meeting in a university tutorial class in Week 1 of Year 1. He still gives me career advice and wise words over dinner to this day.

Once I started working, I was very fortunate to meet several mentors who became instrumental to my career—I would encourage you to seek out people who can give you advice and encouragement, bounce around ideas with, and look for opportunities for you. Mentors were important in my volunteer work, not just in my paid roles. It can be an informal or formal arrangement—but the value of mentoring should not be underestimated. It will work best, I have found, if you and your mentor have synergy and enjoy one another’s company.

Finally, for me, companion animals have been a source of social support and an inspiration for my research, teaching and practice. Additionally, they help me exercise, meet people both inside and outside academia, and connect online and in person with other like-minded individuals. I am quite sure that my quality of life would be much poorer without them.

3 Scientist-Practitioner Psychologist

Integrating the Human-Animal Interaction Into Practice

Jennifer Coleman

Jennifer Coleman, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center. Currently she works as a clinical psychologist for Rush’s Road Home Program, a nonprofit that provides no-cost mental health services for veterans and their family members. In additional to clinical work, she enjoys teaching residents, supervising, and doing research.

I have loved animals since before I can remember. But it wasn’t until I was applying for PhD programs that I realized I could specialize my education in the field of human-animal interactions (HAI). A professional in the field suggested I contact a leader in the field (Dr. Aubrey Fine) to discuss career options. He provided me with the best piece of advice I could have received, which I now pass down to anyone interested in this field. First, focus on a degree or license that will open doors to the career you want, then you can supplement your work with HAI education and training.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in mental health counseling, I knew I wanted a career that contained both research and clinical work. Thus, I applied to clinical and counseling psychology doctorate programs that had faculty who would support HAI research. I was lucky, as graduate programs are highly competitive and at the time focusing on HAI was novel, and I found a faculty advisor who wanted to begin researching HAI. I was also aware that Dr. Sandra Barker, Founder of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction, worked at the associated medical school down the road.

During my doctorate training I had two main objectives. The first was to specialize in trauma work, be competitive for a clinical internship, and eventually attain a career as a licensed clinical psychologist. The second was to engage in HAI research and educational activities. This always meant a constant balance between fulfilling my clinical requirements and obtaining HAI experience. For example, my master’s thesis focused on service dogs whereas my doctorate dissertation focused on veterans with PTSD receiving group therapy. Thus, I focused on HAI research and had a clinically based research project to speak about on internship interviews.

This balance meant that I had to independently seek out HAI related experiences, such as mentoring undergraduates in HAI research, proposing a study on incarcerated individuals who worked with dogs, and working as a research assistant on a project examining animal-assisted therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders. I also initiated a project that involved consultation with various mentors to create a novel measure to assess attitudes towards dogs (Coleman et al., 2016).

Since graduating, I have obtained a position as a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center’s Road Home Program. Although my current job may not look exactly as I had envisioned, I believe I am on the path to creating my dream job. The majority of my time is spent conducting psychotherapy for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder—work that I love. I am also engaged in clinical supervision, teaching medical residents and conducting research. A current research project I am leading involves assessing the benefits and challenges for veterans who have psychiatric service dogs. One aspect of my current position that can be challenging is protecting time for research since I work in a job that is grant funded for clinical work and I do not currently have grant funding to allow for protected time for HAI research.

My dream job would involve more HAI integrated work. Thus, the ongoing challenge I am faced with is how to further integrate this into my current job. I have had to be creative. For example, currently I serve as a journal reviewer for HAI related manuscripts, present at conferences on HAI topics, attend the International Society for Anthrozoology conference regularly, and serve on an American Psychological Association emotional support animal committee. Due to this work I have now become the subject matter expert at my job, and at times in my larger institution, on the topic of service animals. This has led to teaching grand rounds to the department and regularly lecturing to medical residents and psychology trainees on the topic. I have also considered obtaining a facility dog ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Part I Academic—Traditional
• Part II Academic—With Clinical Work
• Part III For Profit, Not For Profit and Government
• Part IV Private Practice, AAI Programs
• Index