Diane Stieper is a counselor here at SMSU, and she has a dog. That may not seem too special, but Lexi is a certified therapy dog that comes to campus.

Lexi originally started out as a family pet, though she is now also the therapy dog for SMSU. When Stieper’s mother went into assisted living, Stieper realized Lexi’s potential to be a therapy dog. Stieper’s mother loved her two dogs so she would bring them to see her.

“Lexi was the wild child of the two,” Stieper said. “But she would become calmer and very respectful of the other people as soon as we entered the building. Lexi knew the difference of how to act.”

Stieper said she knew that Lexi was capable of becoming a therapy dog.

“She had it in her, an innate compassion for people. So that’s when I started training her and then brought her to get tested.”

Stieper also has four miniature horses.

“They’re also very therapeutic, but my boss says that we’re stopping at the dog,” Stieper said.

Lexi is a certified therapy dog through Therapy Dogs International and also is an AKC Canine Good Citizen. She passed her test in 2013.

In December of 2013, Stieper received word that Lexi was permitted to be the therapy dog here at SMSU. She’s normally not very emotional, she admitted, but due to some circumstances outside of the workplace she started crying when she did find out.

In January 2014 Lexi officially started working as a therapy dog. The program has been going on for about a year and a half so far and is going strong.

The group Paws a Moment with Lexi meets in the Counseling and Testing Services office in BA 156 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM on Thursdays. It’s an informal group where students can come and simply sign in. People can come in, talk about what was good or bad about their week, and anything else that concerns them. It is also a great way to meet people and to play with an adorable dog.

“People come in and they have all kinds of ideas of what therapy is and isn’t and they can be kind of scared of coming here sometimes,” Stieper said. “Dogs just break the ice. Lexi has been known to somehow sense who’s been feeling down or pretty sad and will keep nudging their hand until they pet her. She’s persistent.”

Stieper went on to say that the dog also helps encourage communication and increase the engagement between people. Petting or just being around Lexi has benefits to both the student and maybe even to Lexi herself.

“When you pet an animal, there are levels of oxytocin that rise in both the human and the animal – that is, if the animal displays signs of comfort, safety, and well-being it translates to the human brain.” Stieper said.

Plus, who does not like petting dogs?

Therapy dogs help people cope with depression and anxiety, improve memory and recall, helps address grieving or loss issues, improving cooperation during therapy, improving problem-solving skills, concentration, attention, and expression of feelings. They also stimulate senses, facilitate exercise and activity, provide a source of touch and connectedness, increase morale and self-confidence, and they also reduce stress.

And if that does not convince someone, therapy dogs are also good at bringing joy and laughter to the people close to them.

According to Stieper, the biggest challenge in getting Lexi approved to come on campus was getting insurance that would cover her.

The group sessions are pretty popular. To schedule an individual appointment with Diane and Lexi, they can be found in the office usually from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays, as well as having the group sessions on Thursdays.

To schedule an individual appointment with Diane or any of the other counselors, stop by the Counseling and Testing Office in BA 156, drop a line by e-mail, or call them. There are posters around the school for Paws a Moment with Lexi.