Young people don't feel judged or intimidated

Our young people who have experienced trauma, find it particularly difficult to establish relationships and build trust.  One of the beautiful things I have observed is the bond that grows between the child and the dog and of course with Sarah.  The young people don't feel judged or intimidated by the dog and find it easier to talk and open up.  This in turn helps them to build self confidence and enhance their relationships with others.

One of the most valuable out-comes our children and young people get from working with dogs and Sarah, is the 'space' that Sarah creates that enables them to learn.  Working with the dogs helps them to find a calm state, a 'space' in their over-active brains for new information to be processed.  Traumatised children and young people find it difficult to absorb and process new information.  Interacting with the dogs, together with the mindfulness practices used by Sarah, allows our children and young people not only to engage with learning, but to experience success in learning and to discover that learning can be fun.

- Guilla Digiglio - Mackillop Family Services