![\"Debbie](\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Paisley-the-dog-2-RS-1050x813.jpg\")
Debbie MacCulloch, Student Health Services\u2019 Mental Health Nurse, and her dog Paisley are working together to help students with their mental health.<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cThey were lined up out the door,\u201d she said of the many students who attended.<\/p>\n
MacCulloch suggested to her superiors that similar benefits could come from having a therapy dog along to help with her appointments, and she knew that Paisley would make the perfect fit.<\/p>\n
As if to prove this point further, Paisley added to her previous obedience training by passing her therapy dog certification, with local dog trainer Dave McMahon, on her first try.<\/p>\n
Having received full approval from the University and completed the necessary training, Paisley has quickly adjusted to life in her new job.<\/p>\n
\u201cNormally she sleeps when we are driving in the car,\u201d said MacCulloch. \u201cBut when the signal is put on to turn into the Brock parking lot, she gets up and starts looking around. She jumps out of the car and we come into the building to do a walk through. Then we go to my office, put her mat down and get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
To remind Paisley that she is at work, MacCulloch has given her a special uniform.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt home she wears a collar, but at work she wears a bandana or scarf to remind her that she is acting in a different role,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
This role has seen Paisley offer the type of assistance that has made therapy dogs a significant resource in the field of mental health.<\/p>\n
When she is in here with someone, she is not forming an assessment,\u201d said MacCulloch. \u201cInstead, she is very intuitive to their emotional state. If someone is crying, she will sit up and watch them and let them pet her until they settle. At work, she knows not to sit with me, and to instead care for whoever is in the appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n
MacCulloch and Paisley meet students who have mental health concerns and provide an initial assessment, advice, supportive counselling, and treatment and follow-up information for those facing depression, anxiety, mood disorders, suicidal ideation, psychosis eating disorders and grief.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to encourage students to reach out for help if they have concerns,\u201d said MacCulloch. \u201cThat\u2019s why we are here.\u201d<\/p>\n
While students have seen positive benefits from Paisley\u2019s regular shift, her presence has also had an impact on the Student Health Services team.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps the staff with their stress as well, because now they look forward to Thursdays,\u201d MacCulloch said. \u201cSome of them even bring treats in for Paisley.\u201d<\/p>\n
MacCulloch has also enjoyed the impact Paisley has made on her own work routine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have always loved dogs,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I love what I do as a mental health nurse on campus. To have the opportunity to combine the two is fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n
MacCulloch\u2019s love of dogs is something she shares with many of her patients, and she believes this plays a key part in Paisley\u2019s success as a therapy dog.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe gives them hope and makes them feel supported and nurtured,\u201d she said. \u201cStudents often miss their pets and the support a therapy dog provides is very helpful when they are dealing with mental health issues on campus. They often sit on the floor with her, and they always feel at least a little bit better when they have seen her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The perceptive Labrador is still discovering her new role and is struggling only with the problem of ending an appointment professionally.<\/p>\n
\u201cA few times she has tried to leave with a student,\u201d MacCulloch quipped, \u201cBut she is quickly learning that her job is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
To learn more about the many mental health resources available at Brock, visit brockmentalhealth.ca<\/a>\u00a0or brocku.ca\/swac<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A belly rub and the occasional treat are the only payment Paisley asks for during her shift with Brock\u2019s Student Health Services team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":48031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7,1,4],"tags":[926,71,5056,6026],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48032"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48032"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48040,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48032\/revisions\/48040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}