Capstone Behavioral Healthcare in Newton and Grinnell has a therapy dog in-training. Piper is an eight- months-old Golden Retriever that’s owned and being trained by Maddie Ellis, a student therapist at Capstone. Piper has only been in the Capstone offices for about two weeks, but Administrative Assistant Beila Flickinger says she’s a big hit. 

“Everybody loves dogs. She brings a level of joy to the office every time she comes in. Everyone loves her and people are requesting her.”

When Piper sits in on therapy sessions, Flickinger says people are more likely to open up and speak freely. Ellis says Piper’s training to be a certified therapy dog should be completed around the time she turns one in September. Piper, Ellis, and Flickinger attended Wednesday’s Senior Health and Fitness Fair at the Newton YMCA. Hear more about Piper on today’s Let’s Talk Newton.