Announcements

New Animal Protection Law in Colorado -- The new law, for which Dr. Ascione provided testimony, includes animals in civil protection orders. Click here.

Denver Post features IHAC The Institute for Human-Animal Connection was recently featured in the Denver Post. Click here.

GSSW Magazine

Read about the Institute in the spring issue of 2010 GSSW MAGAZINE. Click here.

The Human-Animal Bond: Understanding the Intricate Relationship Between People and Animals -- This new course was taught fall quarter 2009 at the University of Denver by Professor Philip Tedeschi.  Click here.

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Doctoral Student Fellows

Kate TrujillioKate Trujillo, MSW
Doctoral Student, Adjunct Faculty

Kate Trujillo is currently completing her doctoral dissertation at the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW). Her dissertation relates to understanding the role that companion animals play in the development of emotional security, particularly for children who have a history of trauma. Trujillo has ten years of experience in both public and private sectors as an advocate, administrator, and clinician. Her focus has been attachment and adoption, especially for adolescents. She has taught courses throughout GSSW in the Animals and Human Health program, at the master’s level as well as in the professional development program. Trujillo is also an instructor for International Social Development at GSSW.

Trujillo developed a therapeutic ranch program that incorporates a wide range of animal partners, including horses and equine facilitated psychotherapy. Trujillo is interested in the role that animals play in all societies and in human development. She also raises service dogs for Guide Dogs for the Blind and is an active voice for people with disabilities. Currently, Trujillo is a fellow at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center with JFK Partners. Her work there is focused on understanding how animal interventions could improve outcomes for children on the Autism Spectrum.

 

 

 

Maureen F-MMaureen Fredrickson-MacNamara, MSW
Doctoral Student

Throughout her career Maureen Fredrickson-MacNamara has incorporated animals in educational and social work interventions with children and adults struggling with disruptive behaviors, histories of trauma and overwhelming life challenges. During her tenure as Delta Society Vice President of Programs, Maureen developed training and handling protocols for horses and dogs in mental health and education programs and is creator of the internationally recognized Pet Partners program. She lectures widely about the critical role that animals and nature play in human health, development and well-being and methods of incorporating horses, livestock and companion animals in mental health and educational applications.

Maureen is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. Her scholarly interests include the development and treatment of medical life threat and PTSD in youth with chronic or life threatening illness, the application of animal-assisted interactions in social work practice, particularly for individuals with trauma histories and chronic illness, and animals as a dynamic part of the human social landscape.

 

 

Chris AndersonChris Anderson, MSW
Doctoral Student

Chris Anderson recently defended her dissertation, "AN INVESTIGATION INTO ASSOCIATIONS WITH ATTACHMENT, COMPANION PET ATTACHMENT, EMPATHY, AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS IN 18-21 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENTS: A MIXED METHODS STUDY" that examined empathy, parental attachment, companion pet attachment and social behaviors in a sample of 140 students between the ages of 18-21 enrolled at Front Range Community College in Westminster CO during the fall semester 2008. The research questions are: (1) does parental empathic attachment predict prosocial and antisocial behaviors during older adolescence or young adulthood? And (2) does pet attachment compensate for low parental attachment?