Ep216 - The power of therapy dogs in psychology: Samantha King

Samantha King is a Psychologist and clinic director at Psychology & Animal Assisted Wellbeing, a clinic where therapists work with a therapy dog providing animal-assisted interventions. She works with her dogs (Sonny, Oliver & Nala) to provide  Animal Assisted Therapy for children, adolescents & adults (primarily Neurodivergent populations).   

Samantha has experience working with therapy dogs across various settings, including schools, community mental health and private practice since 2013.   She has spoken as several conferences on AAT topics, including the 50th Australian Psychological Conference in October 2015 and the Australia & New Zealand Psychiatrists Conference in Hobart in 2016. She is also EAGALA trained (2018) and provides Equine Assisted Psychotherapy with her herd of 7 horses including five brumbies. 

Samantha is a qualified dog trainer (Certificate III in Dog Training & Behaviour - NDTF). 

Samantha is also experienced in offering Psychology in a farm-based setting, alongside her range of animals on her hobby farm (goats, chickens, cat & horses). Sam has a keen interest in the advocacy of Brumbies and their incorporation in to animal assisted services.