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I come to you humbly, with a kind of truth that is usually spared from FB. Everything is usually all smiles and happy joy joy. But behind that is a reality in our life that we struggle against on a minute by minute basis, and we now have a potential solution that we need your help to enact.
Kara has bipolar disorder, ADHD, anxiety, depression and OCD. It is a constant roller coaster of emotions and energy and focus for both of us. We are on a pathway trying to find the right medications for each diagnosis, but as she grows and her body makeup changes, her medication needs change as well.
She has been in intensive therapy in addition, learning about coping skills to help her through each episode and making safety plans for each scary circumstance.
I have been through a lot of this myself, but being through this as a parent, watching your child suffer as well, feeling as if these feelings will never end and as if there is no hope, tears your heart out. Watching her want to give up and not go on living is so scary and frightening and keeps me up at night.
At this point, something that has been recommended to us to help Kara is a psychiatric service dog. NOT an emotional support dog. A psychiatric service dog can actually do tasks for Kara such as deep pressure therapy during panic attacks, interrupt self harm behaviors, find help for Kara, turn on lights, retrieve meds, and bring Kara’s attention back to center when she isn’t focused in class. The dog would be a companion for her and help calm her anxiety overall.
We know a dog would be helpful because of her relationship with my parents’ dog and how much it helps her with her anxiety. We also know from her volunteering at our local animal shelter how interaction with the dogs helps her overall demeanor even more than medication.
A service dog requires specialized training. We have vetted a training company we would like to work with. They help you select a dog that has the right disposition, pass the Canine Good Citizen Test, and a task oriented and public access test. Then they work with you and your dog to train for specific tasks for your needs.
The problem standing in our way of this solution is money, which is why we are coming to you. It takes 10k-15k to purchase and train a service dog. We need outside help to be able to afford this solution for Kara’s anxiety, depression and ADHD. Please consider helping us achieve this solution for Kara so she can complete high school and college successfully.
Kara has bipolar disorder, ADHD, anxiety, depression and OCD. It is a constant roller coaster of emotions and energy and focus for both of us. We are on a pathway trying to find the right medications for each diagnosis, but as she grows and her body makeup changes, her medication needs change as well.
She has been in intensive therapy in addition, learning about coping skills to help her through each episode and making safety plans for each scary circumstance.
I have been through a lot of this myself, but being through this as a parent, watching your child suffer as well, feeling as if these feelings will never end and as if there is no hope, tears your heart out. Watching her want to give up and not go on living is so scary and frightening and keeps me up at night.
At this point, something that has been recommended to us to help Kara is a psychiatric service dog. NOT an emotional support dog. A psychiatric service dog can actually do tasks for Kara such as deep pressure therapy during panic attacks, interrupt self harm behaviors, find help for Kara, turn on lights, retrieve meds, and bring Kara’s attention back to center when she isn’t focused in class. The dog would be a companion for her and help calm her anxiety overall.
We know a dog would be helpful because of her relationship with my parents’ dog and how much it helps her with her anxiety. We also know from her volunteering at our local animal shelter how interaction with the dogs helps her overall demeanor even more than medication.
A service dog requires specialized training. We have vetted a training company we would like to work with. They help you select a dog that has the right disposition, pass the Canine Good Citizen Test, and a task oriented and public access test. Then they work with you and your dog to train for specific tasks for your needs.
The problem standing in our way of this solution is money, which is why we are coming to you. It takes 10k-15k to purchase and train a service dog. We need outside help to be able to afford this solution for Kara’s anxiety, depression and ADHD. Please consider helping us achieve this solution for Kara so she can complete high school and college successfully.