Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Session: PAWSitive Impact of Animal Assisted Interventions
Darlene Chalmers is an Assistant Professor at the University of Regina Faculty of Social Work, Saskatoon Campus. Dr. Chalmer’s research interests include the human-animal interaction and in particular animal-assisted interventions and veterinary social work. Her dissertation research focused on human and horse interaction, centering on how these interactions may enhance human development and animal welfare. She was also a lead researcher on a team examining the use of equine-assisted learning as a treatment adjunct for volatile substance misuse with First Nations youth in Saskatchewan. She has published a number of peer reviewed articles in this field. She is currently co-developing a prison therapy dog program. She is also the co-chair of the Veterinary Social Work Initiative Committee at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Chalmers has over a year’s experience as a handler with a St. John Ambulance therapy dog, and is certified in Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning/Psychotherapy.