ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — For many social distancing and self-quarantining, the isolation can be damaging to mental health.
The Round Rock Independent School District announced a new addition to its team this week to help students and teachers with their emotional needs.
“The kids were asking this morning, ‘Where’s Piper? Can Piper come see us?’” said C.D. Fulkes Middle School Principal Kathy Cawthron.
At 12-weeks-old Piper the chocolate labradoodle is Round Rock ISD’s first ever behavioral therapy dog. Piper spends most of her day greeting students at the school with her handler and trainer, RRISD Officer Lisa Cleere.
“Being a behavioral dog, everybody can love her, and everybody can pet her. There aren’t any restrictions,” said Cleere.
If a neighboring school district student is experiencing a crisis, then it is Piper to the rescue.
“The morale has really been impacted by Piper,” said Cawthron.
Psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Middleton has experience with the pandemic-related stress, fear, anxiety and depression that has rippled to people of all ages.
“There’s kind of a shortage in terms of mental health practitioners to even go,” said Middleton.
Middleton’s therapy portals have been full since the COVID-19 outbreak, and she’s been hearing the conversations shift.
“There’s a whole level of relating that sometimes doesn’t happen in therapy. Therapy is usually about them. Right now, it’s because of the isolation that people really want to talk about it,” said Middleton. “They really want my opinion, so it puts us in a strange position as therapist.”
Middleton’s biggest advice for surviving the holidays, especially if you don’t have a pup to pet, is to not miss a day of human interaction.
“Behavorial mental health is so prominent in the world right now,” said Cleere.
Williamson County Commissioners approved $1.5M in CARES Act funds for the Bluebonnet Trails Community Services. Right now, the program is offering free counseling services. Bluebonnet Trails say it’s seen 16,000 more patients this year in Williamson County compared to years past.
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