Join us on January 12th, 2009 from 7-9 Central and find the answers to questions that you NEED to know! Questions like:
~What are service dogs?
~What do service dogs do?
~Why are service dogs important to society in general?
~Can I get a service dog to help me?
~Where can I go to find out if a friend/family member would benefit from a service dog's aid?

San Francisco, CA (December 28, 2009) ––
Sixty‐five million dog owners in the United States know that there is something about the presence of a dog that inspires confidence, nurtures
emotional well‐being, and brings out our best. And for some people, a dog can do even more.
Written by the leading expert in an emerging new field of therapy,
Healing Companions: Ordinary Dogs and Their Extraordinary Power to Transform Lives is the first book to explain how dogs can benefit survivors of emotional illnesses, from eating disorders and anxiety to agoraphobia, depression, and post‐traumatic stress.
Besides real life stories of healing and transformation, practical guidelines and advice is presented in Healing Companions:
• Criteria to consider when choosing a dog
• Service dog training and procedural regulations
• What to expect and how to respond with a service dog in public
• How dogs can complement other forms of therapy
• Recognizing the dog’s needs and proper care
A clinical psychotherapist with a private practice, and a licensed independent social worker, Jane Miller has a particular interest in holistic healing. She has lectured for national and local organizations, schools and dog‐training facilities, and has consulted with National Education for Assistance Dog Services, Canines for Combat Veterans, and for other veteran’s organizations. She appeared in the PBS program “Health Visions: Animals As Healers” and is a popular guest on local and national media.
“
Finally, someone has written about the best kept mental health secret: how dogs save psyches, hearts, minds and sometimes, quite literally, lives.”
—
BELLERUTH NAPARSTEK, LISW, author of Invisible Heroes
“
This book should be required reading for everybody who is considering
getting a psychiatric service dog or is working on training them.”
–
TEMPLE GRANDIN, author of Translation and Animals Make us
Human.
“
Healing Companions is a testimony to the transformative benefits of the
human animal bond for our wounded minds and hearts. This book offers us a practical, heartwarming, intelligent, hopeful window into a new field for service dogs.”
—
ALLEN M. SCHOEN, MS, DVM, author of Kindred Spirits: How the
Remarkable Bond between Humans and Animals Can Change the Way We
Live
“
Animals are more complete than people. They are wonderful teachers,
therapists and role models for us all. I always live by the motto WWLD or
What Would Lassie Do? Read Healing Companions and learn about their
ability to guide and heal us all.”
–
BERNIE SIEGEL, MD, author of Smudge Bunny and Buddy’s Candle
“
We all know about these benefits, but we are just beginning to learn how highly skilled and loyal assistance dogs serve in other significant ways for example the psycho‐emotional value of an assistance is just beginning to be recognized. … In many ways it is just starting, dogs are just beginning to serve, stay tuned.”
–
COREY HUDSON, Chief Executive Officer, Canine Companions for Independence
“
…Jane Miller goes from examining the effect of bringing her own dog to
therapy sessions to a wider view of how dogs can play different roles.”
–
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY“
These extraordinary dogs ground us, they warm our hearts, they challenge our minds, they transform us, they are there for us when others aren’t. Healing us is what they do – and ‘Healing Companions’ shares their extraordinary gifts with its readers.”
–
DR. BONITA (BONNIE) BERGIN, President of Bergin University of Canine Studies, home of the Assistance Dogs Institute.