Engaging in individual therapy with dogs in Ballarat

Whether you’ve engaged with a psychologist before or this is your first time, it can feel like a daunting prospect! Some individuals come to therapy with a clear idea of what their challenges are and what they’d like to work on, while others struggle to know where to start. Wherever you are in your mental health journey, our psychologist will meet you at that point and collaborate with you to develop realistic goals. You are always in charge of the process. If you want lots of work, we’ll give you lots of work. If you need to move slowly, we’re with you all the way for as long as you need us.

What does a treatment process look like?

A treatment plan will depend on several factors, such as what your presenting concerns are, what you would like to focus on, and the choices you make about your therapy modalities. Initially, your psychologist will listen and ask questions to understand your story and get to know you. We will develop goals for treatment outcomes with you and discuss options for a treatment plan. This could be a mix of modalities or just one (such as cognitive behaviour work or a schema therapy program), and, of course, you might choose to have one-on-one animal therapy as part of your treatment. We are realistic about the pace at which clients feel they can work and the resources they have available. 

We may often recommend an initial treatment plan across 5-6 sessions spaced fortnightly, then review progress to determine whether further fortnightly or monthly sessions are optimal. Clients will often choose a treatment that is more intensive to begin with, then reduce or continue with ‘top up’ sessions when they feel ready. Once you build a relationship with your psychologist, they are here to support you any time you need to come back and see us! We are comfortable referring between our team if you would like to work with someone new or elsewhere in the region if we feel your needs are best supported by another psychologist (with more specific training in a particular area).

In a practical sense, your therapy seasons could include a mix of general counselling support (talking through challenges), education about psychological theories and principles that help to understand yourself better, or practical activities to develop skills like coping, stress relief or social skills. You may be offered in-between session work (if you feel up to it) or prescribed online programs that complement your treatment in the clinic.  

Be sure to have a look at our other animal therapy services and treatment areas, including men’s mental health and schema therapy.

If you started crying because someone at the supermarket asked if you needed a bag… it’s time to come and see us… we’re here to help you!
Autism

At Barking Mad Company, we use a strengths-based approach to support individuals with autism to enhance their unique abilities while addressing challenges with evidence-based strategies. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), social skills training, and sensory integration techniques help build resilience and coping skills. Individual therapy with dogs fosters emotional regulation, social engagement, and confidence. By leveraging your interests and strengths, we create personalised interventions that promote your independence, well-being, and meaningful connections. Our clinic incorporates professional knowledge and skills with lived experience to support both young people and adults to realise their best autistic self. We can support you with both assessments and treatment plans, including adult autism assessments. 

ADHD

ADHD (Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder) can be a challenging affliction for any individual. Presentation of ADHD can be very different between both children and adults and different genders. Not all individuals experience the ‘hyperactive’ traits that are so commonly associated with ADHD. Often, the presentation can feel more subtle, like persistent difficulties with concentration or goal achievement. Sometimes, your life feels consistently hectic, and you’re not sure why! Our psychologists support young people and adults experiencing ADHD symptoms to help you understand the executive function mechanisms that underlie the disorder and work on skill-building and support strategies.

We also offer 30-minute appointment times for structured dog-assisted individual counselling where this is more beneficial than a traditional 50-minute appointment.

Anxiety & Panic

Here at Barking Mad Company, we don’t feel anxiety is a dirty word. That said, whilst it is extremely normal to experience anxiety and anxious thoughts in times of stress, consistent worry about real or perceived challenges or people in your life can ultimately be draining and exhausting. We can work with you to understand thought patterns that might be contributing to your excess anxiety and implement strategies to reframe them. We can also delve a bit deeper (because let’s face it, often the things we’re anxious about are real challenges like losing a job or breaking up with a partner) and work from a schema therapy lens to begin to understand why you might tend to feel anxious in certain situations based on your early life experiences.

Depression

Anyone who has experienced the depths of clinical depression understands that just making a commitment to seek help can feel overwhelming when you barely feel you can get out of bed. Your life can go from awesome to despair and suddenly things that used to bring you joy hold no interest anymore. Someone at the supermarket checkout asks if you’d like a shopping bag and you feel like crying and don’t know why. We get it. When depression takes hold, we go back to basics and move with you one step at a time. Self-care and compassion come first (and dog cuddles!) Psychological therapy can be a great treatment option either alone or alongside medication prescribed by your GP. We welcome self-referrals or individual’s bringing a mental-health treatment plan to work through their depression and come out the other side.

Emma Cotsell, Psychologist, Barking Mad Company

Taking the first step towards therapy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our compassionate team in Ballarat is here to support you at your own pace, whether you're looking for structured therapy, general counselling, or the unique benefits of working with therapy dogs.

If you're ready to explore how individual therapy with dogs can support your mental well-being, get in touch today. Book a session, ask questions, or simply learn more about what to expect - we're here to help every step of the way.

Call us today or book your first session online to start your journey towards a healthier, more balanced life.

 Schedule appointment