A Psychiatric Service Dog is a dog that is specially trained to assist someone with a psychiatric disability. Individuals with Psychiatric Service Dogs may bring their dogs with them during airline travel. Here are some examples of ways that Psychiatric Service Dogs can be trained to assist their handlers:
Ground and reorient – A PSD can help ground their handler back into a more present state of mind during an anxiety attack.
Licking the handler’s face - A PSD can lick the handler’s face to ease to the handler’s anxiety.
Navigation and buffering – A PSD can provide a buffer and help guide their handler through stressful environments.
Applying pressure to handler’s body - the PSD can apply pressure to the handler’s body to ease the handler’s stress/anxiety.
React/Alert to specific sounds – A PSD can alert their handler to smoke or security alarms along with unusual noises.
Interrupt and Redirect – A PSD can help limit obsessive compulsive and self-destructive behaviors by interrupting or redirecting.
Waking Up Handler - A PSD can wake a handler up/help the handler get on schedule.
Retrieve Medications – A PSD may pick up medication from a table or ring a bell as a reminder.
Guide Handler out of Dangerous Situations - A PSD can guide the handler out of dangerous situations: alleys, unknown areas, etc.
Room Search – A PSD can be trained to perform a room search to help those that suffer hyper-vigilance caused by PTSD.
Stabilize routines – A PSD can help their handler maintain healthy routines by, for example, preventing them from oversleeping or reminding them to do daily tasks.
Tactile stimulation and pressure therapy – A PSD can use touch or gentle pressure to provide calm and comfort to a handler that is in distress.
Find a person/place – People who suffer from severe anxiety may become disorientated in a large crowd, a PSD can be trained to locate a person and place.
Balance Assistance – For those that may need the added security when walking (eg. those that may have to take tranquilizers to stay calm).
Contact me at 347-607-6312 or adam@adamkaufmantherapy.com if you’d like to learn more.