TTP #37: Dr. Molly McLaren – All About Emotional Support Animal Evaluations

Would you rather read the transcript? Click here. Emotional support animal (ESA) evaluations are gaining in popularity as more individuals seek to bring animals into apartments, dorms, and onto airplanes. Our very own Dr. Molly McLaren took some time to talk with me today about her exploration of ESA evaluations. Some things we cover are: * What does the research say about animals as a “treatment” for emotional concerns? * Can we ethically recommend or “prescribe” an ESA? * What is involved in an ESA evaluation? * Is a report necessary for an ESA evaluation? * What’s the difference between an ESA and a service animal? Resources Special thanks to Facebook group member, Dr. Ed Martinelli, for sending these articles to check out regarding research on ESA evals! * Ensminger and Thomas, 2013, Writing Letters to Help Patients with Service and Support Animals, J of Forensic Psych, v13n2, pp 92-115 * Kogan, et al, 2016, University Counseling Centers Perceptions and Experiences Pertaining to ESAs J of College Student Psychotherapy, v30n4, pp 268-283 * Younggren, Boisvert, and Boness, 2016, Examing ESAs and Role Conflicts in Professional Psychology, Prof Psych Res and Prac, v47n4, pp 255-260 * Herzog, 2011, The Impact of Pets on Human Health and Psychological Well-Being – Fact, Fiction, or Hypothesis, Current Directions in Psychological Science v20n4 pp 236-239 Podcast Sponsor I’m so grateful to have Practice Solutions, a full service billing company for mental health practitioners, on board for sponsoring this month’s podcasts. Jeremy & Kathryn Zug are a husband-wife team ready to help you with all things billing – claim submission, billing statements, payment collecting, and verification of benefits & coverage. Get a 20% discount on your billing services when you mentioned the Testing Psychologist podcast! About Dr. Molly McLaren Molly earned her PhD from Colorado State University after completing her internship at the University of Tennessee and her post-doc at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling. She specializes in adult psychotherapy for folks with social anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorders, and career/vocational issues. Molly also has a lengthy history of providing psychological evaluations for adults. About Dr. Jeremy Sharp I’m a licensed psychologist and Clinical Director at the Colorado Center for Assessment & Counseling, a private practice that I founded in 2009 and grew to include seven licensed clinicians, three clinicians in training, and a full administrative staff. I earned my undergraduate degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of ...