Joey and Psychiatric Service Dogs

Some superheroes wear capes; mine wears a vest...

From 2015 to 2017, I was the handler of a psychiatric service dog, Joey. He helped me through my darkest times by learning tasks which helped mitigate my mental illness. Prior to having Joey, my overwhelming anxiety and panic left me unable to go out in public or go to therapy appointments alone. With Joey's tasks designed to address different aspects of my disorder, I began to retain my independence. He gave me the support to accomplish everyday activities like grocery shopping or standing in line at a store. These were things I had not been able to do for almost 2 years. He changed my life. Gradually, I gained the confidence to let him stay home when I went out. By 2017, he acted more like an emotional support animal and helped me cope with my anxiety at home. 

Joey is retired now and living on my family farm with his canine siblings and plenty of goats. I am beyond thankful for Joey; he gave me my life back. For more about my journey with Joey, check out my newest video:  My Journey with Joey

Please "like" his Facebook page Joey's Journey toward service dog awareness where I post pictures of Joey, information about service dogs, and insights on what it is like to have a psychiatric service dog. 

Also, take a look at the videos I created to celebrate one and two years with Joey, which also briefly tell our story:   

I'm here to answer any questions about psychiatric service dogs or emotional support dogs. I want other people with mental health issues to learn about these life-changing animals.

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