Welcome to Canine Assisted Health and Wellbeing
Enhancing health & wellbeing through canine interactions
Canine Assisted Health and Wellbeing is dedicated to providing people with opportunities to experience the healing power of dogs. We offer a range of services that facilitate meaningful canine interactions, to positively impact physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
Benefits of Canine-Assisted Therapy
Emotional support
Interacting with dogs can provide comfort and help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. A calm, friendly dog can boost mood and provide a sense of companionship.
Social connectedness
For those who find social interactions challenging, dogs are great at helping make those experiences easier. They can make people feel more at ease, support engagement, improve communication skills, and help to build confidence in social settings.
Stress reduction
Spending time with dogs has been shown to lower heart rate, reduce blood pressure, lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels and increase the release of endorphins (the feel good hormones), which can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Emotional regulation
Therapy dogs can help us learn to manage our emotions more effectively by providing a calming presence and encouraging positive emotional responses.
Mental health
Interacting with specially trained therapy dogs can lead to improved mental health, especially for people who experience depression and anxiety.
Cognitive functioning
Engaging with therapy dogs can improve how we think, focus and process. Activities such as dog training exercises and training a dog to do tricks, can enhance our cognitive functioning.
Canine-Assisted Mental Health Support
At Canine Assisted Health and Wellbeing, we provide compassionate and practical mental health support for young people and adults.
Our service combines individualised mental health care with the therapeutic benefits of structured canine-assisted interventions to support engagement, emotional regulation, wellbeing, and psychosocial functioning.
Services are delivered by a Credentialed Mental Health Nurse and Canine-Assisted Therapist using a collaborative, neuroaffirming, and strengths-based approach tailored to each individual’s goals and support needs.
Canine-assisted interactions can support the development of therapeutic rapport, emotional safety, and trust within the therapeutic process. This approach may be particularly beneficial for neurodivergent individuals and clients who experience barriers to engaging in traditional therapy environments.
At Canine Assisted Health and Wellbeing, we aim to create a safe, supportive, and non-judgemental environment where clients feel understood, empowered, and supported to work towards meaningful wellbeing goals.
Sessions are conducted in Mount Evelyn, with outreach mental health support also available.
Get in touch today to begin your canine-assisted wellbeing journey.
Wellbeing Visits & Group Programs
Therapy Dog Wellbeing Visits
Looking to bring a sense of calm and connection to your next event?
Want to boost your team's wellbeing with workplace visits?
Keen to offer extra support to students ahead of exams?
Is someone you care about feeling isolated or lonely?
Or are you a mental health professional supporting a client who could benefit from canine assisted support?
We're here to help.
Our therapy dog wellbeing visits provide compassionate emotional support.
With Cayley's calming presence and Bailey's friendly nature, our visits help lower stress, ease anxious feelings, lift mood and offer genuine moments of comfort, connection and joy.
Whether you're looking for a one-off visit or ongoing support, we can tailor our services to best suit your needs.
Group Therapy Wellbeing Programs
Through structured activities with specially trained therapy dogs, our group programs are designed to enhance emotional and mental wellbeing, foster social connections and promote holistic health.
Participants experience the therapeutic benefits of meaningful canine interaction in a supportive group setting, to address common health and wellbeing goals.
Covering wellbeing topics such as stress management, mindfulness and relaxation, our group programs can be delivered to workplaces, within schools and universities or community settings.
Canine-Assisted Mental Health First Aid Training
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training equips you with essential knowledge and skills, to provide initial support to those developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
This training is for anyone looking to enhance their ability to identify, understand and respond effectively to someone experiencing mental ill-health.
Whether you're a caregiver, educator, manager, student or community member, mental health first aid training prepares you to offer appropriate support and make a positive difference in people's lives.
We are licensed to deliver the following MHFA courses:
Standard and Older Person
Youth and Blended Youth
Teen MHFA
Blended courses (Workplace, Tertiary & Community)
Refresher Courses (Standard and Youth)
Conversations about Suicide
Conversations about Gambling
Learn these invaluable life skills, in a supportive environment with our therapy dogs on site to provide emotional support.
Dog Training with a Difference
At Canine Assisted Health and Wellbeing we prioritise supporting both ends of the leash.
Our dog training services focus on empowering people through their dogs — because your wellbeing matters too!
We believe dog training is more than obedience; it can be a pathway to growth, confidence, and connection.
Through the power of the human–canine bond, we help you and your dog build skills, strengthen your relationship, and work towards your health and wellbeing goals.
Whether your goal is to build confidence, increase physical activity, manage stress, or simply feel more connected, we’ll guide you and your dog through practical, positive training strategies to meet your goals.
Keen to find out more?
Meet the Team
Cayley
Certified Therapy Dog (Advanced). Cayley is a 6 year old Golden Mountain Dog who first certified as a therapy dog in 2021. Cayley loves to meet new people and share her calming presence with them.
Denise
Canine Assisted Therapist, Credentialed Mental Health Nurse, Licensed Principal Master MHFA Instructor, Certified Assistance Dog Trainer (Cert IV Animal Training & Behaviour - Assistance Dog Specialisation)
Bailey
Certified Therapy Dog (Advanced). Latest recruit Bailey is a 3 year old Golden Aussie who first certified as a therapy dog in 2023. Bailey's happy demeanour is infectious, bringing a smile to all that meet him.
Contact Us
Cayley & Bailey
Frequently Asked Questions
Individual suitability screening is conducted prior to participation to help ensure client safety, comfort, and animal welfare. This includes consideration of allergies, fears, medical concerns, and individual support needs.
Yes. We welcome referrals for eligible NDIS participants and aim to provide flexible, neuroaffirming, and individualised support tailored to each person’s goals and wellbeing needs.
A range of evidence-informed approaches may be incorporated depending on the person and presenting concerns.
These may include:
Strengths-based and recovery-oriented approaches
Neuroaffirming practice
Psychoeducation & skills building
Emotional regulation and coping strategies
Solution-focused support
Motivational and goal-focused approaches
Canine-assisted interventions
Trauma-informed and person-centred practice
CBT / ACT / DBT
The therapeutic approach is collaborative, flexible, and guided by each individual’s preferences, wellbeing goals, and capacity.
Yes. Outreach mental health support may be available depending on individual circumstances and location.
Yes Cayley and Bailey are certified therapy dogs who have been trained to work within therapeutic environments. They have been selected to engage in therapy dog work due to their temperament and suitability.
We can tailor a wellbeing workshop / group program to meet your needs or you can choose from some of our established programs such as stress management, mindfulness & relaxation, paws for wellbeing.
We can conduct 2 hr sessions, half day workshops or full wellbeing days.
Get in touch to discuss how we can best support you with your wellbeing goals and training needs.
Absolutely, Cayley and Bailey love interacting with people of all ages and abilities.
Contact us to discuss your visiting therapy dog requirements.
We look forward to working with you to provide canine assisted emotional support to your residents.
The Standard Mental Health First Aid course is a 2 day face to face training course, for adults seeking to support another adult who is experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis.
The 2 day face to face Youth Mental Health First Aid course equips adults with the knowledge and skills they need to offer appropriate support to a young person, experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis.
The Teen Mental Health First Aid course teaches secondary school aged young people how to recognise and respond to a friend in crisis or experiencing a mental health problem.
The 2 day face to face Older Person Mental Health First Aid course teaches adults how to provide appropriate initial support to adults 65+ experiencing a crisis situation or mental health problem.
Blended refers to the course delivery method.
Blended versions of the Mental Health First Aid course have an eLearning component and an Instructor-led component.
Course participants complete the eLearning component (self-paced online modules), prior to the session facilitated by the Instructor.
Principal Master Mental Health First Aid Instructor Denise Warmington is a multi-licensed instructor who has delivered over 300 mental health first aid courses since becoming an instructor in 2012.
Denise is a passionate and enthusiastic Instructor who has a warm, engaging and inclusive teaching style.
Denise is a Consultant Trainer of Mental Health First Aid Instructors and has worked within the curriculum team at Mental Health First Aid Australia, so has an intimate knowledge of course content and course processes.
Depending on your training requirements we may also engage other Principal Master Mental Health First Aid Instructors to support in course delivery.
We utilise positive reinforcement dog training techniques such as shaping, capturing, targeting and luring, as these methods are backed by scientific research.
Yes we offer private 1:1 dog training sessions online, within your home or another suitable setting.
Denise is a Certified Dog Trainer and Certified Assistance Dog Trainer (Certificate IV Animal Training & Behaviour, Assistance Dog Specialisation Skill Set).
Denise is a Credentialed Mental Health Nurse who has worked in the area of mental health and wellbeing for over 25 years.
Denise has worked as a Therapeutic Dog Trainer, training therapy dogs, emotional support dogs and assistance dogs for over 4 years.