Dixie is a 12-year-old Pug who lives in London with her family. She is a busy girl, however, because she has a very important job to do.  Dixie goes to work several times a month at the Cumberland Valley Children’s Advocacy Center.  She works alongside her owner, Tracy Miller, to help calm and distract child trauma survivors during therapy sessions.  “Miss Tracy”, as she is known to the kids, has been a licensed, trauma-focused therapist and forensic interviewer at the Advocacy Center for the past 16 1/2 years.

“I started bringing Dixie to work with me about three years ago,” Miller explained. “I was working with a little boy who was too frightened to talk about what had happened to him.  I asked my Director, Paige Lay, if she would mind if I brought Dixie to work with me to give the boy a calming presence in the therapy room.  She readily agreed to this. So, I brought Dixie to the Advocacy Center for the little boy’s next appointment.  He had been to the Center six times, and on the seventh visit, with Dixie in the room, he was able to talk about his experience.  Dixie has been coming to the Center regularly since then.”

Dixie is a registered service dog. She has an official identification badge and red “Service Dog” jacket that she wears.

“She thinks she owns the place,” Miller said.  “She goes straight in the door and into every room in the Center, looking for kids, and snacks. She has a bed in the therapy room, and water and treats.  The kids use the treats to have Dixie perform tricks.  The treats are her reward, and she takes her reward very seriously!”

Partnering with dogs for therapeutic purposes is becoming increasingly popular in mental health settings.  The presence of a dog can help a child feel safe in their surroundings, and builds trust between the child and the therapist.  Miller explained that the comforting contact between the child and the dog can offset traumatic responses in a child’s brain. “Sometimes Dixie is calm, and sits peacefully beside a child as they talk,” Miller said.  “Other times, she acts playful and silly.  She seems to sense what the child needs. Being with Dixie is a ‘grounding’ experience, which keeps the child in the here-and-now. This is an important aspect of trauma-focused therapy. Most children feel less anxious and stressed when they interact with a dog.  Dixie helps them to heal.  Plus, they love her curly tail.”

(Published by the Sentinel-Echo on Oct. 18th, 2017)