Meet Teddy: Empowered Psychiatry’s New Therapy Dog
We are excited to introduce Teddy, the newest member of the Empowered Psychiatry team. Teddy will serve as a therapy dog, offering an additional source of comfort and connection for clients who enjoy having a dog present during their appointments.
At Empowered Psychiatry, we recognize that mental health care is not one-size-fits-all. Meaningful support can come from many sources, including medication, psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, supportive relationships, and the environments in which people receive care. For some clients, the calm and nonjudgmental presence of a dog can make the therapeutic setting feel safer, warmer, and more approachable.
How Dogs Can Support Mental Health
Dogs have a unique ability to connect with people without requiring conversation or explanation. Their presence can provide companionship and help individuals feel less alone during difficult moments. Petting or sitting near a calm dog may also offer a grounding sensory experience, helping some people redirect their attention to the present moment.
Interactions with dogs may support mental health in several ways:
Reducing feelings of stress: Spending time with a calm dog may encourage relaxation and provide a comforting distraction from anxious or distressing thoughts.
Creating a sense of safety: A dog’s steady presence can help make an unfamiliar or clinical environment feel more welcoming.
Supporting emotional regulation: Petting a dog, noticing its breathing, or focusing on its movements may serve as a grounding activity during moments of emotional overwhelm.
Encouraging connection: Dogs can help ease social discomfort and create a natural starting point for conversation, particularly for children, adolescents, or individuals who feel nervous meeting a new provider.
Providing nonjudgmental companionship: Dogs do not evaluate, criticize, or expect people to communicate in a particular way. This can be especially meaningful for clients who have previously felt misunderstood or uncomfortable in healthcare settings.
Promoting positive routines: Outside of the clinical setting, caring for a dog can encourage movement, time outdoors, consistency, responsibility, and social interaction all of which may contribute to overall well-being.
A therapy dog is not a replacement for evidence-based psychiatric treatment. Instead, Teddy’s presence may complement the individualized care we already provide and offer another tool for helping clients feel comfortable, supported, and empowered during treatment.
Teddy’s Role at Empowered Psychiatry
Teddy will support clients by providing calm companionship during select appointments. Some clients may enjoy greeting him, petting him, or having him sit nearby. Others may prefer not to interact with him at all and that is completely okay.
Participation will always be optional. We understand that some individuals have allergies, fears, cultural considerations, sensory sensitivities, or simply prefer an appointment without a dog present. Client comfort and clinical needs will remain the priority, and Teddy will only participate when it is appropriate and welcomed.
We are thrilled to have Teddy join Empowered Psychiatry and look forward to seeing the comfort, connection, and joy he may bring to our practice. We hope his presence will further our mission of creating a compassionate, collaborative, and personalized space where clients feel safe being themselves and empowered in their mental health care.
