Who is Esther Delisle?
My name is Esther Delisle, and I live in Montreal. Animals and words are crucial to my life. I wrote four books (published) on the history of Quebec, a Ph.D. dissertation in Political science, countless articles and a children's book (The King of El Dorado unpublished). I wrote while surrounded by, at various times, a cat (Salomé), a dog (Matisse), a hedgehog (Agrippina), an iguana (Esméralda), two parrots (Ollie and Pinceau), guinea pigs (Oreo, Plum Pudding, Whippet, Banana Split) and frogs. Since moving to a smaller apartment. I have downsized my ménagerie to one dog, Cleopatra, whom you see beside me in the picture below.
As a certified Animal-Assisted therapist, I have worked with people with Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disabilities, people in palliative care, children with learning difficulties and university students. I studied dolphin-assisted therapy in Eilat, Israel.
Relax watching some of the dolphins from the Dolphin Reef in Eilat, Israel.
Learn more about dolphin-assisted therapy for challenged children at the Dolphin Reef (Red Sea) in Eilat, Israel.
Attending many international conferences on Human-Animal interactions in Montreal, Toronto, Saratoga Springs, New York, Jerusalem and Paris, I had the privilege to witness the extraordinary development of Animal-Assisted Interventions over the last fifteen years. They moved from the fringe of therapeutic support to the mainstream.
The Canadian Institute of Animal-Assisted Interventions (ciaai.net)
All of that prompted me to establish the Canadian Institute of Animal-Assisted Interventions. Its goal is to become a complete source of reliable information about Animal-Assisted Interventions in Canada and worldwide, emphasizing the most innovative and original experiences.
Animal-assisted interventions involve the client, the practitioner and the animal, the three of them linked by the synergy of their interaction. "They are goal-oriented and structured interventions that intentionally incorporate animals in health, education and human service for therapeutic gains and improved health and wellness," according to Delta Society.
Animal-Assisted Interventions, Human-Animal Interactions and Commutuality
My blog is a continuation of the Canadian Institute of Animal-Assisted Interventions. I will write about animal-assisted interventions, of course, but also about Human-Animal interactions and the Commutuality between humans and animals, that is, what we share.
To Start on the Right Foot/Paw
I hope to reach many of you who love animals, their interactions with us and our similarities.
Everything can be discussed respectfully. We all want to know more about Animal-Assisted Interventions and Human-Animal Interactions. We are all, each of us, willing to try to understand them better. This means that we accept that we will never fully understand everything about it.
My Next Post: Finding Our Place in the World
To greet you with the new year 2023, my next post is about a dear friend who unwillingly taught me and many others that gender and species do not matter once we find our proper /happy/ contented place in the world.
My Coming Posts
Here is a peek at my next blog posts:
What is in a name?
Steve and Felix.
Can llamas be appropriate partners in AAI?