Testimonials
At Paws to Freedom we strive to teach to each individual team's needs. The ultimate goal is a well trained service dog that meets the needs of the handler, as well as for the handler to learn to become a confident leader. The steps in training through the program all build toward the outcome of the handler living a more independent life, as well as the dog being healthy both physically and emotionally at his or her job. The following are what some of our clients have and are experiencing within the Paws to Freedom Service Dog Team Training Program.
I have had an ongoing battle with depression and anxiety since the age of four. I'm now 59 years old. In my late 40's this grew into the choking disability of agoraphobia.
After myriad of therapists, I finally found a proactive therapist, Christine L. Portland Psy.D.LLC. I had been leaving my dear dog, Sadie in the car during my sessions. At one of my appointments Dr. Portland and I pulled into the parking lot at the same time. She said" "Joanne, please go and bring Sadie with you." That led to a discussion in her office that has completely changed my life!
Dr. Portland watched and noted that as I grew anxious I stroked Sadie's ears and kept my hands on her. She asked me if I ever considered Sadie as a therapy dog. I said, "Oh yes that I would love to taker her to nursing homes, etc if I could." She then clarified herself by saying, "No Joanne I don't mean that. I mean for a therapy service dog for you." I was dumbfounded. I'd always believed that service dogs were solely for those whose disabilities were physical and visible. I responded with "You mean, her for me? I could do that, for me?"
At our next session Dr. Portland supplied me with the name, Mara Windstar and Paws to Freedom. My world went from isolation (unless I was out with my husband) to finding my way outside with Sadie's presence. Through the diligent training with Mara, Sadie and I have come to a place of FREEDOM. I take her everywhere. It truly is an understatement to say that Paws to Freedom enlarged my world and gave me access to it. As my world shrank more and more so did I. I want the world to know and the many others like myself who live in it, there is help, great help, wonderful training for you and your dog. Yes, Your Dog! It has taken commitment, but Mara has worked with me in such a way that I feel so safe. She knows dogs and she knows people. I will be grateful for and lover her forever!
For those out there suffering with an invisible disability, I long to let them know what this experience has meant for my life. Yes there are meds and therapy, and I still use both, but there is an additional unconditional source available, a service dog. I thought it would be source of embarrassment, needing and having a service dog. It has proven to be quite the contrary. My dog lets me know that I am OK and if I'm not, through our training she can show me how to be, and she does this away from the confines of my home, as well as in my home.
One of the best aspects of paws to Freedom is that you train with your own dog. That makes so much sense to me as we'd already bonded; now we've expanded our relationship to working partners. HOW COOL IS THAT?
Joanne and Sadie
One day in desperation I googled" PTSD service dog Portland Oregon". Up came a link to Paws to freedom. I have a young spunky and confident Golden retriever dog that I suspected was being reactive in response to my own PTSD. This baby face girl was lunging and growling at any dog that came close. It hadn? started out this way...she loves to play and would fly to the end of the leash to play with dogs and then it all fell apart. Soon I couldn? convince her to pay any attention to me on the leash if there was any dog around at all. I tried every sort of collar and every technique available to me. She believed she was in charge...and her job was to protect me. We had started out to share a world and life together that had seemed so promising ... but our world was dwindling down to only feeling safe with her in our own backyard.
I knew if I took my dog to conventional training they would have no idea how to respond to my PTSD...and I would feel worse. I also knew the techniques they would use: correction collars, wouldn? work. I already knew it made matters far worse: I saw it.
Mara wrote me back within the day and it was clear that she understood my predicament. She was so open and friendly that she put my mountainous self-blame and guilt immediately to rest. I was overcome to have friendly non-judgmental understanding.
Without Paws to Freedom I was looking at a life with my dog that had alot of limits ..the daily walks in the woods, the hour long Sauvie Island walks , which were originally my sanctuary and meditative time, had no joy any longer...the quiet time I so desperately needed were more likely to happen without my dog. It was crushing for me. Life with PTSD can be so limiting. I felt like the disability was "winning".
I have had four sessions with Mara and my relationship ship has changed with my dog. Without sour tone or cohersion or punishment, under Mara's direction I had the miraculous experience of "joining up" with my dog as she chose to heel leash free. She is paying attention to me under her own volition. She is starting to look at me when she sees another dog. It? clear we have a different future than my worst fears. We have lots of amazing things to come our way. One woman and one dog, full of possibilities.
Thanks Mara.