Specialized Veterans Path at First Step

Service dogs are more than just loyal companions–they’re trained to provide practical assistance and emotional support to individuals coping with various challenges, including PTSD, addiction, and a range of physical and mental health issues. Even just interacting with service dogs has been shown to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation.

Working with service dogs can give veterans a sense of comfort, helping alleviate feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Through our program, veterans have the opportunity to work with the certified trainers at Semper Fi Service Dogs to bond with and train service dogs.

Our clients work under the guidance of Ryan A. Onda, Master Trainer who served as a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare Defense Specialist in the United States Marine Corps. After studying a range of training techniques over the past two decades, Ryan has developed the “Pack Training System” designed to help end the suffering experienced by Veterans with PTSD, MST, and TBI.

Equine therapy, also known as horse-assisted therapy, is a form of experiential therapy that involves interactions between humans and horses. During therapy sessions, individuals engage in various activities with the horses, such as grooming, leading, and riding.

Horses are highly sensitive and intuitive animals, capable of picking up on subtle cues and emotions. In order to build a bond with a horse, people must interact with them carefully and compassionately.

For veterans who may struggle to express themselves verbally or connect with traditional talk therapy, working with horses can provide a powerful alternative for processing emotions and building healthy communication skills. In our veteran’s program, clients are able to participate in equine therapy sessions under the guidance of Dr. Blair Barone with The Lucky Horse Sanctuary, a local non-profit organization that uses rescued animals to help rescue people.

EMDR is an approach used to treat trauma and PTSD. During EMDR sessions, clients focus on a specific memory while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as following the therapist’s finger movements with their eyes or listening to alternating sounds. Our compassionate EMDR therapists may use this technique to help veterans deal with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma-related behaviors.

EMDR can lead to significant reductions in PTSD symptoms, including intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance behaviors. By targeting these symptoms, EMDR enables veterans to regain a sense of control over their lives and move toward recovery.