Beyond Blue reader Susan Schechter wrote about psychiatric service dogs on her blog, “If you’re going through hell keep going,” which you can find by clicking here. She writes:

I want to thank my dear friend Edge for bringing this to my attention. I am currently working on getting a psychiatric service dog, much to the consternation of the kitty. 

I would be interested in anything anyone has to say about these dogs. I think I really need one, for in my darkest depressions, I need someone to help me get out of bed and do the small things that need to be done. I think this might be the answer.

Then she excerpted an interesting article by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) about psychiatric dogs:

Many people are familiar with the images of seeing-eye dogs that guide their owners across busy streets. Others may be familiar with service dogs that alert their hearing-impaired owners to sounds such as doorbells and phones. 

But a new grassroots movement is bringing forth another class of service dogs–a class that may not be instantly recognizable to members of the public.

Psychiatric service dogs are supporting owners who are disabled by mental illness, and these dogs are trained to do therapeutic work and perform daily tasks.

“When it comes to mental health disabilities, we’re usually talking about invisible disabilities,” said Joan Esnayra, Ph.D., founder of the Psychiatric Service Dog Society in Virginia.

Recently, Dr. Esnayra visited SAMHSA to present at an in-service event for Agency’s Center for Mental Health Services. She is a trained geneticist who founded the society in 2001. As the owner of two psychiatric service dogs who help her manage bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, she personally has seen the benefits that service dogs can bring.

To continue reading her blog click here.

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