Hi, my name is Emily and I’m fundraising for a psychiatric service dog. I have been

accepted as a handler candidate by Steadfast Service Dogs, a nonprofit organization

that provides service dogs for individuals with psychiatric, neurological, and physical

disabilities.

I have been living with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), depression, and anxiety for a long time. And I’ve spent nearly as much time trying to seek help and work

towards better coping strategies and more normalcy in my day-to-day activities.

I’ve been on and off medications, and I am currently working with a wonderful

therapist. However, though I’ve made strides in the past towards a healthy, successful

lifestyle, I am finding myself in a bit of a downward spiral. Isolation during 2020

seriously impacted my healing process and my psychological well-being. I spent a lot of

time alone indoors, not having to deal with the world or my triggers. Since rejoining

the work force and restarting therapy, I’ve had to really push myself beyond what is

healthy and rebreak some old bones in the name of psychological healing.

I’ve had to leave full time employment and find myself only capable of part time, low

stress work, but even that is pushing my limits. I find myself having multiple panic

attacks a week, if not multiple daily. I’m having increased issues leaving the house,

becoming physically ill from the stress which also impacts getting to work on time and

being reliable while at work. I’m nearly incapable of being a passenger in someone

else’s car, but I am also finding myself unable to drive for long periods of time.

I’ve reached a point where I know that I’m not doing well and that I need some help in

addition to my current treatment program. My therapist and Steadfast Service Dogs

believe that a psychiatric service dog being included into my “treatment toolkit” would

offer me a more complete therapeutic regimen and the hope of better support of my

copying mechanisms and achievement of a healthier and more successful lifestyle.

A psychiatric disorder is an invisible illness. Invisible illnesses are a struggle for many

trying to seek help, while those around them often cannot see and do not realize the

extent of the illness or its effects on daily life. A psychiatric service dog would help me

face these obstacles as he or she would be task-trained per ADA guidelines to perform

tasks such as deep pressure therapy, blocking and guiding in stressful public scenarios,

nightmare interruption, repetitive behavior interruption, and tactile intervention of

sensory overload or dissociative episodes.

 

For me, this psychiatric service dog will truly be life-altering. It’s always difficult

to ask for help, but I would like to ask you to please support my fundraising

efforts for a service dog from Steadfast Service Dogs.

 

Any funds raised outside the goal will go directly to Steadfast Service Dogs towards other candidates for Service Dogs.

 

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Steadfast Service Dogs is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We

produce some of the best German Shepherd service dogs in the country. We have

a fantastic track record of successful service dog placements for PTSD and other

psychiatric illnesses, neurological disabilities, heavy mobility, diabetic alert, and

for survivors of extreme violence and trauma. Our dogs are life-altering!