Support an Autism Advocate's Service Dog Journey

I am starting the process of getting a psychiatric service dog for my Autism, severe anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD!

I am a fervent Autistic self-advocate and president of the Autism Society of Washington. I’m graduating from Seattle University this year and hope to continue my education to become an attorney!

My dream is to continue advocating for the Autistic community and helping people however I can. With the help of a psychiatric service dog I hope to increase my independence, help spread disability awareness and acceptance, and document my journey to make the path towards accommodation that much more accessible.

The work I do for the Autism Society of Washington and more generally within the Autism community is very dear to my heart. I am committed to serving as a public resource, helping create mentorship and positive identity, and making society more accessible and welcoming for us all. I have been honored to share my knowledge and lived experience in multiple venues thus far, and continue to work hard to serve my community however I can.

Autism Acceptance Day Speech

By having a psychiatric service dog, I solidify my commitment to my Autistic community. I want to consciously, visibly accommodate my disability and celebrate my identity. I want to break away from the constraints of appearing “normal” when it comes at the cost of my ability to help others.

A service dog can help me, and others like me to:

-Ground myself in times of crisis

-Increase bodily/sensory awareness

-Alert me to panic attacks/flashbacks/nightmares

-Give me the confidence to navigate the world independently

-Alert me to sensory/emotional dysregulation

-Remind me to take medication, eat, drink, and rest

-Provide deep pressure for grounding

In caring for myself, I hope to increase my ability to care for others. I also want to show others like me a path towards both autonomy and accommodation, without needing to sacrifice one for the other.