Often, our clients' best friends are their dogs—or cats or parakeets, goldfish or hamsters—but these bonds with animals, which may be the most important relationships in their lives, are frequently unappreciated or completely neglected in therapy. In this workshop, we'll discuss new research findings and case examples demonstrating how emotionally significant these intimate connections with pets are in many people's lives. We'll focus on the role pets play in couples and family dynamics, the special bonds between animals and children, the companionship they provide to singles and people with disabilities. We'll also briefly touch on the use of therapy animals in clinical practice. You'll learn how to assess the meaning and significance of companion animals and how to make use of them as valuable resources—for clients and for ourselves—to manage stress and loss, and to promote healing and resilience.