Toby was an adopted rescue who was fear-reactive and couldn’t be left at home without leaving a trail of destruction. He destroyed twelve toilet lids! Author Charmaine Hammond brought in an animal behavioralist who told her Toby needed a job. After passing his Therapy Dog Test, Toby became a wonderful ambassador of healing for all he met. He had a five-year career visiting a psychiatric hospital where he met each patient as a unique individual, giving them complete attention and knowing how to engage differently with each one. Then we went on to visit schools and inspired young children to accept themselves. When Toby singled them specifically out in the crowd, to give them a dose of pure Love, their lives blossomed. He even inspired a shy young boy who had been bullied to write his own story. Toby’s adventures are featured in four books, including “On Toby’s Terms” and “Toby’s Forever Family,” written by Charmaine Hammond, who also helps people and individuals find ways to connect with sponsors for their programs.
EPISODE NOTES: From Destructive Dog to Therapy Dog/a>
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Genie Joseph, PhD, is the Executive Director of The Human-Animal Connection, a 501c3 organization dedicated to bringing people and animals together for the benefit of both. The Human-Animal Connection offers free therapy dog visits to veterans, Active Duty, Health Care Providers, and anyone experiencing stress in the field of Service to Others. Canines Teach Compassion is our high school program with therapy dogs that reduces stress by over 60% in just one hour of structured interaction. We also offer educational classes and zoom sessions to help people deepen their connection to animals, increase empathy, and facilitate cross-species communication. Genie is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and creator of The Act Resilient Method and author of the book by that same name. Act Resilient, which works with Therapy Animals, has been presented to over 4,000 Service Members and their families, and for this work, she was given President Obama’s Volunteer Service Award. And her team at Tripler Army Medical Center was given a National Award for Workplace Resilience from the American Psychological Association. She is a dog trainer, Animal Chaplain, and Animal Communicator and volunteers at various animal rescues and shelter, and shares her life with two miniature therapy Donkeys, Rosie and Lilly, and her rescue therapy dogs, Sophia, Harry, and Bailey, who have brought smiles to many humans.
