Darcie Boltz
Mental Health Assistance Dog Training Specialist

Websites:

• http://www.mentalhealthdogs.org

I am the owner of Heeling Allies, LLC - Mental Health Assistance Dog Training Program, and Vice President and Director of Training of Service for Service. I specialize in helping to facilitate a relationship between people with mental impairments, ranging from PTSD to Bipolar disorder, and service dogs who can help them. Additionally, I work with Emotional Support Dogs (ESDs) and individuals facing various life challenges, such as greif and loss, or cancer.

• Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) Training
• Mental Health Service Dog (MHSD) Training
• Mental illness. Service Dogs.

I am an expert on the therapeutic aspects of the human-canine relationship. One of my greatest abilities is bridging relationships between people and dogs in a way that enables people to rise above many of life's challenges.

Health care providers to be aware of the services I offer, so that they can refer clients to me.

I graduated from Bastyr University in 2007 with a degree in Health Psychology. I am particularly interested in the interrelationship between psychology and health, well being and spirituality, as well as ecopsychology (the relationship between humans and other species; and ecosystems). In addition to my degree in Health Psychology, I have completed course work in Chemical Dependency Counseling, and has earned academic certificates in Animal Assisted Intervention and Therapy in Counseling, Co-Occurring Psychiatric Disorders, and Suicide Information & Intervention; and I am a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

I have worked with dogs in the areas of rescue & rehabilitation, and basic & advanced obedience training since 2005, worked with people who have mental impairments and Assistance Dogs since April 2008; and I am a certified American Kennel Club (AKC), Canine Good Citizen(r) (CGC(r)) evaluator. Additionally, I am Vice President and the Director of Training of Service for Service. Service for Service is a nonprofit organization that connects service dogs with Veterans who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).