Service Dogs & Veterans with PTSD

I sat down with Dr. Matthew Conner, a psychiatrist in Durham, North Carolina for a panel discussion about the benefits of service dogs for veterans with PTSD while at NC Comicon. First and foremost - Dr. Conner's costume was awesome! Moving on to the panel - this was recorded live and the discussion was really centered around what PTSD is and how we can help those struggling with the disorder find hope in recovery with a service animal. We talk about what that process looks like from a training perspective, as well as what the selection process might look like through Operation Sidekick. Given that there are different jobs and roles that canines fill for various needs, we also touched on the differences in working dogs such as the difference between a therapy dog and a service dog. I really enjoyed Dr. Conner's input, and his passion for his position in making a positive impact on mental health is nothing shy of contagious. I very much look forward to further discussion with him on the subject, as well as keeping up with other treatment options available to those suffering from PTSD to help as many veterans experience a healthy recovery as possible.