It is not just humans who are adjusting to a new way of life. Dogs are too!
Sally a 2 ½ year old Labradoodle and her children's mental health therapist mother, Eve Peirce, have created a way to continue helping clients.
Sally has held her paws-ition with Miss Eve since her adoption. She takes her job seriously, assuming that Eve is her co-therapist. Sally loves looking into children's faces as they talk to her, winning hearts and calming ‘her' youthful clients. Her favorite words before the epidemic were, "Let's go to work," when she'd run and bounce out to the car.
These days, her favorite words are still, "Let's go to work!" even though they don't leave their home.
During her off duty time, Sally spends time in the dining room and hallway (though she sneaks into the kitchen searching for crumbs when no one is looking) but as soon as she hears ‘It's time to go to the work', she gallops through the kitchen and into the bedroom which is their new office. The two counselors have resumed counseling through video chats.
"Therapy dogs create a calm, friendly environment where it's easier for clients to open up and talk about feelings and problems," explained Eve. "Sally was sad when we suddenly had to stop going to work, but she perks right up when the video sessions begin."
Sally sits next to the computer and waits........for a child's (or teen's) face to appear on the computer screen. When she hears their voice, she puts her front paws on Eve's leg so she can look at the computer. Then, Eve takes a paw and they wave hello to the children together.
"Sally wags her tail," said Eve. "She's so happy to see and hear ‘her' kids! Occasionally, her paw taps a computer key which interrupts everything, but we soon get back on track. Some clients proudly introduce their dogs to Miss Sally. Sally is not jealous, rather, she is glad that her clients have a loving dog back-up when she is not able to be with them."
In her youth, Sally was a hero when a fellow crisis counselor and the police couldn't calm a child. Sally was called in to work her magic. As soon as the child saw the fluffy dog, they immediately calmed down. Petting the dog allowed the child to share what was bothering them. Talk about "Puppy Power"!
Now that everyone is quarantined at home, Eve encourages her clients to make greeting cards for nursing home residents.
"Sometimes we feel like there isn't anything we can do to help in a difficult time, but learning to make someone else happy is a great way to help," said Eve. "The children draw pictures on the front of a folded piece of paper, write a cheerful message inside during their sessions, then, drop them at my office to send to nursing homes. Some parents are also making cards!
One teen's mother works at a hospital, so the teen makes cards for her mother to take to work to thank and encourage the staff. She's also made brownies for Mom to take too."
In the last year, four counselor friends in town have gotten dogs from where Sally was born. It is obvious that Sally's loving heart is as contagious as the smiles she brings to everyone who meets her.
