AIR® Therapy Dogs Help Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis; Program Creator Katelyn Baker to Be Honored April Is National Therapy Dog Month PRINCETON/WEST WINDSOR, NEW JERSEY (April 4, 2024) – Feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors increased by about 40% among youth in the decade prior to the pandemic,…
PRINCETON, NJ, September 21, 2023 – Throughout her career, Nikki Casey has been dedicated to helping improve children’s mental wellbeing. She worked as a psychiatric screener, in inpatient and therapeutic after-school programs and with Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey, and has served as a social worker in the West New York School District since February…
Attitudes In Reverse® Honors Robert Garofalo, PhD(c), West Windsor Police Chief, as Champion of Hope PRINCETON, NJ, September 5, 2023 – Throughout his 35-year career in law enforcement, Robert Garofalo, PhD(c),Chief of Police, West Windsor Township Police Department, witnessed many young people losing their lives to suicide. “I wanted to be part of the…
Ewing Schools Release: Attitudes In Reverse® and Ewing Public Schools Partner to Improve Student Mental Health and Prevent Suicide Submitted by Maria Petsos, District Supervisor of Special Education, Ewing Public Schools Thirteen years ago, Kurt and Tricia Baker and their daughter Katelyn lost Kenny, their son and brother respectively, to suicide. Soon after the…
Importance of Training your Dog By Katelyn Baker, AIR® Co-Founder January is National Train Your Dog Month. As we close out the month, Katelyn Baker shares some thoughts on the importance of training, and building a relationship with your dog. Consistent, positive training from the start will significantly benefit you and your dog…and will start you on a path to having a future therapy dog! Most…
Kaylee, an AIR® team member, shares with us a powerful point of view from a sibling’s perspective in remembering her sister, Emily, whom we lost too soon. On January 29, 2021, my little sister Emily Murillo chose to end her life. In her short 17 years here, she suffered a lot, from dealing with ruthless bullies…
Read our 2021 Highlights below or view the pdf here.
A recap of some AIR’s media coverage NJ Attitudes In Reverse® and Hopewell Valley School District School-Based Therapy Dog Partnership – covered by News12. See video here. AIR School-Based Therapy Dog program – See video here. Therapy Dogs aren’t just a teacher’s pet at these NJ Schools. They’re staff – covered by NJ.com. See…
Since July, Attitudes in Reverse has been visiting the 50 residents of Artis Senior Living in Princeton Junction on a weekly basis. “The importance of having a dog in memory care can be seen immediately,” said Sara Thompson, Director of Life Enrichment. “The moment a wagging tail walks through the door, smiles plaster on our residents’…
We are thankful for the dedication of all our volunteers who have helped AIR reach so many people – from elementary schools to nursing homes – in 2021. A special thank you to: Laura Cerrito, who coordinates volunteers for events, including the annual Miki Open AIR event and Taste of Hope Shauna Moses, who coordinates AIR board meetings,…