Lead The Way

23/10/2026

🐾 Thinking about becoming a certified Therapy Dog team? Here's how to get started!

We know the pathway to Therapy Dog Certification can seem a little confusing at first, so let's break it down.

Step 1: Check your suitability
Before enrolling, take a look at our Suitability Checklist to make sure you and your dog meet the requirements.

Step 2: Start with Level 1
Purchase your Level 1 Day 1 course and you'll receive immediate access to the online theory. You can start learning straight away, at your own pace!

All of our courses combine online theory with practical training, so you'll also need to book into a practicum. Upcoming dates are available on our website.

Step 3: Become a Learner Dog team
Once you've successfully completed Level 1, your dog can begin gaining valuable socialisation and workplace experience alongside you, in preparation for Level 2.

Step 4: Work towards Certification
Level 2 builds on those foundations and, once successfully completed, leads to Therapy Dog Certification.

💙 A little something to remember...

Therapy Dog Certification is designed to complement your existing professional qualifications, allowing you to work alongside your dog within your professional field. It doesn't qualify you as a therapist.

And if you're curious about Animal Assisted Therapy but aren't quite ready to commit to certification? We also offer online theory courses for those who simply want to learn more!

🐾 Ready to explore the pathway? Visit our website to view the Suitability Checklist, course information and upcoming practical training dates.

https://leadthewayinstitute.com.au/services/certification-levels-therapy-school-visiting-dogs/

22/10/2026

🥰

Some days, we arrive home carrying more than our bags.

A difficult conversation. An unfinished task. The feeling that we should have done more, achieved more or handled something better.

Then there is a quiet moment with an animal.

A dog settles at our feet. A cat chooses to sit beside us. A horse grazes nearby.

There is no performance review. No need to explain why the day was hard. No expectation that we have everything figured out.

For a moment, we can simply be.

We might notice the warmth of fur, the rhythm of breathing or the gentle sound of an animal moving through the grass. These ordinary moments can invite us to pause and pay attention to what is happening here and now.

Connection doesn’t always require touch. Sometimes, sharing space with an animal who is free to approach, rest or move away is enough.

At Animal Therapies Ltd, we value relationships that respect the needs, wellbeing and choices of both humans and animals.

In Animal-Assisted Services, a qualified practitioner can help someone explore connection and practise being present in ways that suit them.

A quiet moment won’t resolve every difficulty. But it may offer a little breathing space—and a reminder to meet ourselves with more kindness.

You don’t have to earn every moment of comfort.

Sometimes, you can just pause and enjoy it.

animaltherapies.org.au

20/10/2026

Have you ever taken your dog for a walk and wondered how something as simple as a patch of grass can be SO interesting? 😂

A new smell, a rustling leaf, a familiar spot that apparently needs investigating all over again...

Dogs have a wonderful way of reminding us to slow down and notice the world around us.

And perhaps there's something we can learn from that.

As we continue recognising Mental Health Month and this year's theme, Together We Thrive, we're reminded that looking after our mental wellbeing can sometimes start with the smallest things.

Taking a moment to pause.
Noticing the world around us.
Being curious rather than rushing through the day.
Making time to enjoy the little things we might otherwise miss.

For our therapy dogs, opportunities to sniff, explore and engage with their surroundings are also an important part of their wellbeing.

And for us? Taking a moment to be present can offer a welcome break from the busyness of everyday life.

So next time you're out walking with your dog, take a moment to slow down. Let them explore, notice what's happening around you and enjoy simply being together.

Because sometimes the best part of a walk isn't where you're going, but what you discover along the way 🐾

Together We Thrive 💙

15/10/2026

🎨 Meet Emma, our new Art Therapist!

We're excited to welcome Emma to the Lead The Way Psychology Clinic team this November! 💙

Sometimes, finding the words to express how we're feeling isn't easy. Art Therapy offers another way to explore thoughts, feelings and experiences through creativity.

Emma holds a Master of Art Therapy and a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences, with experience supporting children, young people and adults across a range of mental health, disability and community settings.

With a warm, person-centred approach, Emma creates a supportive space where clients can explore their emotions, express themselves and work towards their individual goals.

And you don't need to be artistic to benefit from Art Therapy! It's about the process, not the finished product. 🎨

🐾 Emma will be available for appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from November.

We look forward to welcoming Emma to the team!

📩 Interested in learning more about Art Therapy or booking an appointment? Give us a call today!
📞 (03) 9761 0973

09/10/2026

This week we welcomed a new group of teams to our Level 1 FastTrack course - and their first classroom was actually their own home!

There's a very good reason we start there.

The first two days are delivered online, allowing dogs and handlers to learn and practise foundation skills in a familiar environment with minimal distractions.

And there's plenty of learning happening at the human end of the lead too! Handlers are developing their understanding of dog behaviour, communication and the skills needed to support and advocate for their dog.

But online training is only the beginning.

By Day 3, our teams come together onsite - and there's a very important reason for this too.

Therapy dogs need to be able to work safely and comfortably in environments with unfamiliar people, other dogs and competing demands.

We need to meet the dogs in person, observe their behaviour, temperament and confidence, and see how they respond to distractions and work alongside their handler.

Because therapy dog training isn't just about teaching skills. It's also about ensuring dogs have the appropriate characteristics, behaviour and temperament to be suitable for therapeutic work.

For teams who successfully complete Level 1 and meet the required standards, they'll graduate as a 'Learner', where they can begin consolidating their skills within their workplace as they prepare for Level 2.

A big welcome to our newest FastTrack teams! 💙🐾 We wish you all the best over the coming weeks as you continue learning and growing together.

Learn more about Level 1 FastTrack 👇
https://leadthewayinstitute.thinkific.com/products/courses/fast-track-learner

06/10/2026

An interesting piece of research exploring something we talk about often at Lead The Way - pay attention to the animal at the other end of the interaction. 🐾

What are they communicating? Are they choosing to engage? And are we adjusting what we do in response?

An interesting read for anyone working alongside animals. 💙

What can animals tell us about a positive interaction?

A new study involving 61 adolescents and miniature horses and donkeys found that the way people touched the animals influenced how the animals responded. Gentle scratching was associated with more affiliative behaviour and less movement away than stroking.

The researchers also found links between the animal behaviours participants observed and changes in their short-term emotions. It’s a reminder to pay attention to the individual animal, notice its response, and allow it to choose whether to engage or move away.

This was a brief interaction experiment, not a clinical trial of Animal-Assisted Services. It offers an interesting direction for research into the wellbeing of both people and animals.

Read the study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-65168-2

01/10/2026

October is Mental Health Month. 💙

A reminder that mental health matters — for all of us.

This year’s theme is Together We Thrive, recognising the importance of connection and the role it can play in supporting our mental health and wellbeing.

Taking care of ourselves can look different for everyone.

It might mean slowing down when life feels like a lot.
Making time for the things that bring us joy.
Reaching out when we need support.
Checking in on someone we care about.
Or simply making space for more connection in our everyday lives.

And sometimes, it’s the small things that matter most — a conversation, an act of kindness, a shared moment, or simply being there.

Throughout October, we’ll be joining the conversation and sharing some gentle reminders about looking after ourselves and each other — with a little help from our four-legged friends along the way. 🐾

Because if there’s one thing our dogs seem to understand pretty well, it’s the importance of connection.

Together We Thrive. 💙

Mental Health Australia

30/09/2026

With school holidays in full swing, here's a little reminder that sometimes our dogs need a break too.

Therapy work asks a lot of our dogs, and time off is just as important as time on.

Time to rest, play, sniff, sleep, enjoy their favourite activities and simply be a dog is an important part of supporting their wellbeing.

So while we're thinking about holidays, it's worth thinking about what a holiday looks like for our dogs too. 💙

Although we're pretty sure cucumber eye masks are optional. 😉

29/09/2026

🐾 What actually is Animal Assisted Therapy?

It's a term we use a lot around here, but it's also one that can be misunderstood.

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) isn't simply having a lovely dog in the room while therapy takes place.

It is a purposeful, planned intervention where an appropriately trained animal is incorporated into the therapeutic process by a qualified practitioner.

The dog may become part of an activity, help support engagement, provide opportunities to practise particular skills or simply create another way for a practitioner and client to begin a conversation.

But the important part is this:

The dog isn't the therapy.

They are part of a therapeutic process guided by the practitioner, with clear goals and consideration given to the needs and welfare of both the person and the animal.

Sometimes that might look very structured.

Other times, it might look remarkably simple. Like a conversation happening while someone sits beside a dog.

Behind that interaction, though, is professional knowledge, thoughtful planning, training and a practitioner who understands how and when to involve their animal partner.

That's what makes Animal Assisted Therapy so much more than simply having a dog in the room. 💙

23/09/2026

Thinking about beginning the therapy dog journey but finding it hard to fit training into an already busy week?

Our FastTrack Level 1 might be just what you're looking for. 🐾

FastTrack covers our Level 1 programme in an intensive four-week format, building the foundations for both you and your dog as you begin working towards therapy dog certification.

Yes, there's practical dog training — developing the foundation skills, communication and reliability you'll continue to build on throughout the therapy dog pathway.

But there's plenty of learning for the human end of the lead too!

You'll begin developing your understanding of dog behaviour and body language, learning to recognise what your dog is communicating, their individual preferences and when they may need support.

We also introduce some of the important principles that underpin therapy dog work, including welfare, advocacy and understanding your responsibility as the handler within the partnership.

Because becoming a therapy dog team isn't only about what your dog can do.

It's about developing the knowledge and skills to understand, support and advocate for the dog you're working alongside. 💙

Our next FastTrack Level 1 runs:

📅 Monday 5 October
📅 Monday 12 October
📅 Monday 19 October
📅 Monday 26 October

If you've been thinking about starting the journey with your dog, FastTrack is a great way to take that first step together.

Check out the details here👇
https://leadthewayinstitute.thinkific.com/products/courses/fast-track-learner

Pre-requisites and Suitability Checklist available on the website👇
https://leadthewayinstitute.com.au/services/certification-levels-therapy-school-visiting-dogs/