Army veteran Galmiche, who served his country for 20 years, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2002. He says he worked with a counselor and took medication for years, but did not find relief from his symptoms until he was matched with a PTSD service dog.

The first time I met a patient with a service dog was when I was doing social security examinations, as a psychiatrist.  The woman was about 60 years old, motherly and white-haired, and she told me that she was nervous about the interview and was being treated for an anxiety disorder.  She did not think she could “make it” unless I saw her with her “service dog.”  Many years before, when my allergy to dog-hair was in flower, I would have declined.  I had since treated it effectively with alternative methods, so I told her we could try it. It was a tiny dog, the kind my husband would call a “barfy” dog.  The dog had the cutest little blue coat with very official looking embroidery — including the wheelchair picture that is usually used to mark places that are reserved for such vehicles.  The little dog wouldn’t stop staring at me. I did a customary and very basic psychiatric interview.  I started with questions that involved little or no stress, like name and diagnosis.  Eventually, I ramped up to questions about the topics that generated anxiety, such as past traumas.  The pooch stood on its hind legs while she rubbed it vigorously, staring at me.  I stared back. Read more on Service Dogs for PTSD Veterans…