The Faculty of Medicine - University of Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrrand I offers from autumn 2009/2010 graduates univesitaire entitled "HELPING RELATIONSHIP BY MEDIATION ANIMAL" (RAMA). Dr. Didier VERNAY proposes to you in the form of questions and answers.
Why this OF?
To meet emerging from the world of practice and training in the field of the Animal Combining Activities (AAA) and animal mediation in France contribute to the definition and implementation of a framework of good practices [1] .
What makes THE RAMA he responds to these objectives?
The teaching is based on over 20 speakers, from various backgrounds and cultures, all experienced in their field of intervention and a network of partner institutions or associations [2] that give us a "seat" wide.
DU is not the result of a unique resource person or a small group, he enrolled in a current historically speaking can be (too) quiet, but real and very involved in finding a position open and ethical. Moreover, the constraints of academic functioning (case analysis, validation committees, budget management ..) definitely helps "not out of nails"!
Is it realistic to gather in a formation of people from the world of animals and people from the human relationship?
This has advantages and disadvantages. But the differences of culture and knowledge are - in my experience as a trainer - more an asset than a liability. The group is rich in its diversity. Each student to know that it sends to other implicitly or explicitly if the course organizers set up the conditions for recognition of the potential of people and exchange. But of course, this does not just happen. For this reason the first half is devoted to the student, custom work defined in consultation with the teaching team.
Mount joint training dog / horse / other animals, is not it too ambitious?
This is an ambitious and it is not without questioning. Again, the idea is that we have more to gain from sharing our commonalities and share our special, but to develop a targeted operation. This raises at this level, little problem for the theory. In contrast to the practical training the teaching staff should carefully on a case by case, exchange and analyze with the candidate on his studies, his project, it is possible to validate or not the practice for granted and consider Additional or special training needed in the dog or horse to claim the status of "animal involved in mediation."
What makes you different from pet therapy, the animal-assisted therapy or other action with the animal in a target for therapeutic?
To arrange a mediation meeting animal, a solid double-culturally (that of the human relationship and the relationship with the animal) is necessary but not sufficient. It is also necessary that the "spirit of the AAA breath." And at a relative positioning with existential, personal work, ethics and social recognition (institutional) of the speaker.
The idea that underlies our thinking for several years [3] is simple: this is the qualifications (not AAA) of the speaker and the quality of intentionality of the project (ie the means used) for the beneficiary which qualifies the nature of its intervention.
Schematically, on this basis there are AAA [4] , which can be set to:
- Animation programs,
- Of helping relationships through mediation
- And therapy animals.
These are three different and complementary approaches that should not prioritize their impact for the beneficiary. Because the contents of the animal-recipient relationship is not ours! We can only meditate, organize, supervise and support the arrangements for the meeting. With this in mind to demand a treatment program: it must be a therapist. In civilian life you might say! It's not exclude other intervening actions of AAA, on the contrary. This is allowing them to apply formally recognized and integrated by the community as it currently operates. So you can bring in therapeutic programs, including the most ambitious [5] , associated skills that enhance the therapeutic action or unblock the situation for many people in extreme pain.
About to make fully explicit training in AAA regardless of value will not issue a diploma therapist to people who are not initially. But it allows them to get involved as partner in programs supervised by therapists.
Students enrolled as an independent candidate can they receive material assistance?
This is THE one of the helping relationship. Efforts are underway to find ways for economic accommodation, catering, travel, and all who may favor the reception of students. The idea of financial assistance is also sought for some, scholarships, prizes. . . For the first year, and in this economy, you must cross your fingers. . . . . In general "the time of DU" will be positioned as an opportunity to live an interdependent process at any time and any subject, and to test our respective abilities to bring forth the "emergent properties of the system". . . . But I stop, it's a theme that I started the module!
For more information:
Dr. Didier VERNAY
[1] The GERMA (Group Study and Research on Animal mediation) is working on this with the support of the Foundation A. and P. Sommer.
[2] CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France Association of paralyzed APF-63, International Federation of Therapies and Relationship Help for Mediation (FITRAM), Group Study and Research on Mediation Animal (GERMA), Association for Research and Development of Rehabilitation in Auvergne (ARDRA).
[3] The dog life partner - Eres Ed - 2003.
[4] In the fields, teaching, social work, care and / or research
[5] Since 1993, we conducted multiple programs within the University Hospital of Clermont, in many services (geriatrics, psychiatry, rehabilitation, neurology ..) and with stakeholders the most diverse.
May 11th, 2009 at 10:21 p.m.
I just found the University Diploma - Relationship Help with Mediation Animal and I am pleased and reassured to note that education for candidates from different sectors of training, that of human relationships and the relationship of animal . A few months ago too, reading some training sites, only reserved for candidates from the human relationship did not make me very optimistic about the opening of new training and / or diploma also available to applicants from the relationship animal (which I am one).
Apart from this remark, I also have many issues to take in relation to this new degree.
In recent weeks, in France, new training (Operrha, Ecole Francophone AAT) and the new university degree "Counseling mediated animal" emerged in the field of animal mediation. Do you not fear the arrival of these proposals (in addition to already existing organizations) an oversupply relative to demand in terms of sector mediation animal? Then I wondered if before creating this degree, you had considered joining existing organizations?
My questions are about your reflection on the specific additional training. You develop an ambitious training common to the dog / horse / other animals? Why have you chosen not to include additional specific training areas canine or equine (or other) directly in the context of training, including for example trainers dog trainers and horses as stakeholders in the training? Qu ... that is what motivated your choice? Do not you gear for a speaker who wants to be versatile (work with different species)? Do not you think that the financial aspect (the need for the applicant to fund additional training practices, such educations canines) only holds back the choice to pass the diploma you offer?
Veronique Voisin
May 12th, 2009 at 4:53 p.m.
Hello,
On reading the blog dedicated to the OF, you seem to say that a speaker from the animal world (riding instructor, for example) that would have followed the OF could help the development of therapeutic workshops to be conducted by a therapist ( psychiatrist or other example) not trained in this type of mediation.
I have two questions:
- Do you seriously believe that untrained therapist is able to perceive all the implications that may arise from the interaction?? I am concerned about the positioning of the therapist!
- What are then teams like the FENTAC THE FEETAC or SFE??
- What are all the associations that work with caregivers who have taken these courses?? They should have simply form a monitor and do not engage in such training, right??
Conclusion: what good is it to train therapists in this mediation??
Thank you in advance for your response.
May 12th, 2009 at 8:11 p.m.
Good evening,
I discovered with some pleasure that the facs of Medicine are decidedly the most advanced in mediation animal, and also with some pride (Clermont being!) that Auvergne is finally starting to move on this issue.
Several reflections are offered to me.
The first is a certain satisfaction in view of the container, for indeed there was great need that universities undertake directly through a specific OF on the subject of using mediated by the animal. For now, there were only 13 AU from Paris, and it is true that the creation of a university degree with knowledge exam, although it remains a private diploma from the training center of Clermont 1, is a breakthrough that I welcome.
Next comes the examination of the content. One semester devoted to personal work under the supervision of an association outside the University (or the Fitram Germa). 1 semester on lessons (70 hours of lessons and 20 hours for the validation of knowledge, or 2 ½ weeks). 70 hours of internship with possibility of VAE (and therefore exempt I guess).
And 23 speakers, an "average" about 3 hours of instruction per speaker, reduced to 70 hours concerning the transmission of knowledge.
Announced with the aim to train people to practice AAA (equine, canine, or educational farm, on option) and conduct a program of AAA.
Achieve these goals by 90 hours of instruction and 2 weeks of training, one can not but agree: this is indeed ambitious, even this is a challenge, when the audience goes from the psychiatrist with 25 years experience in therapy dog at a young graduate of BAPAAT pony who wants to work with people with disabilities.
What questions do you have against this training?
- First, a fear of dumbing down about future professional in TAA or AAA. Why people interested in having a project in recognition of AAA or TAA would they be trained like those of long Handicheval, the Fentac, the Feetac, the Bobigny Faculty of SFE or when they can, in 6 times less time and for 15% of their cost, obtain an OF? Is it not an incentive to train less, or is it not labelisation recovery and "sub-motivated" or even "under-qualified" for the above-mentioned training?
- There is talk of ethics and conduct, but what guarantees as short training she can move about the future practice of his students? What will prevent the first dog breeder graduate RAMA to claim thereafter, therapist, reinforced this idea by calling it a degree of professional helping relationship? What about its future practices based on 10 days probation and a possible recommendation of further training of the organizers? The simple distinction between AAA and TAA in a theoretical intervention and individual supervision of the project is satisfactory and sufficient?
- How to understand the composition of the education committee. Including the choice of some founding members Fitram refuse within their own groups in AAA target audiences from the ED, and that will become their school counselors with the power to recommend other additional training? Germa and then he should be a little formal working group and destined to disappear without becoming institutionalized?
- In our professional world dominated by so-called therapists, sometimes with no training and at the limit of the scam, the creation of an OF in "helping relationship mediated by the animal" without strengthening does not instead of demystifying the ambient blur on definitions and specific practices of the "helping relationship" (therapy, care, activity, involvement, support, sport, leisure, occupational, psychological, medical, social, physical ...), at risk to prevent the holders of the OF can not find their way themselves and specify other than by a choice of options on the type of animal? What identity, what title, what credit is for graduates?
May 16th, 2009 at 9:56 p.m.
I discover with pleasure the establishment of this new OF ... open to applicants from different initial channels (that's a reflection ... in advanced!).
To those who wondered about the usefulness of a new training course in France on the aid relationship with the animal, I think for my part, it is useful to provide such training, and cycles of varying lengths so that there's something for everyone and especially can achieve professionalize its practice.
And when I think there are just five years ago, there was great difficulty with information on the web about the benefits of the animal in man, we can only rejoice !
Thank you to all the animals that make us so much good ... and helps us become more human.