Some of Philip Tedeschi‘s best friends are animals. He studies and teaches on the intricate relationship between people, domestic and wild animals, and the natural world. Tedeschi is the Executive Director of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection and a Clinical Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work. He is globally recognized for expertise in the clinical methods of animal-assisted interventions, human- animal interaction and conflict and coordinates the school’s animal-assisted social work certificate program for master of social work (MSW) students, as well as the IHAC- Pro professional development programs. He received his MSSW degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where his specialization was the bio-affiliative connection between people and animals.
Tedeschi’s research, scholarship, presentations, training and community practice work have focused on human-animal interactions, conservation, human ecology, causes of violence toward people and animals, environmental social work, experiential therapy and forensic social work practice. Tedeschi is a certified Master Therapeutic Riding Instructor, former course director and instructor with Outward Bound, wilderness medical technician, forensic evaluator for interpersonal violence and animal abuse and has many years of experience in non-traditional therapeutic approaches with children, adults and families. He specializes in the therapeutic potential of human-animal interaction, trauma informed methods and intervention in interpersonal violence, including assessment and intervention with animal abuse.