In this episode of The Human-Canine Alliance podcast, host Stacie interviews Barb De Groodt, owner of From the Heart Dog Training, discussing her extensive experience and unique approach to dog training. The conversation covers Barb's background, her training methodologies, and the importance of respecting the dog's personality and needs. They explore the differences between emotional support dogs, therapy dogs, and service dogs, and discuss the potential role of AI in matching dogs with humans to enhance their lifestyles. Barb shares personal anecdotes and emphasizes the value of patience and intention in effective dog training.

About Barb:
Barb De Groodt has spent over 60 years working with animals around the globe—from training German shorthaired pointers in her father’s kennel at age 8 to mentoring modern trainers across India, Spain, Thailand, and beyond. A founding member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, Hall of Fame inductee with the International Association of Canine Professionals, and former Trainer of the Year at Westminster, Barb continues to educate, present, and innovate within the field. Her deep respect for animals and commitment to individualized training make her a true pioneer in the evolution of the human-canine bond.

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Despite mounting clinical evidence for art therapy, nature therapy, music therapy, and dance therapy, Social Prescriptions remain on the periphery of U.S. healthcare. But the issue may not be proof of concept — it’s proof of value.

This episode argues that Social Prescriptions should be seen not just as wellness tools, but as strategic levers for economic development, long-term cost savings, and workforce readiness. If we want to see Social Prescriptions scale in the U.S., we need to speak the language of systems, incentives, and return on investment.

We unpack the Federal Reserve’s own commentary on “missing markets” — the gap between high-impact community solutions and the formal infrastructure needed to scale them — and show how Social Prescriptions fit squarely in that space.

From Park Rx programs that drive traffic and funding to public lands, to creative therapies that improve mental health while stimulating local economies, Social Prescriptions are already creating real impact. But until that impact is economically legible, it will likely remain unrecognized — and less than scalable.

Starting and Scaling Social Prescriptions Webinar Series hosted by CISP starting June 18, 2025: https://www.afhto.ca/news-events/events/starting-and-scaling-social-prescribing

Sources used in this episode:

• March 2025 Webinar: The State of Social Prescribing in United States
• May 2025 Jameel Arts & Health Lab Conversation Series
  • Creative Arts Therapies: Evidence and Examples of Practice
• Social Prescribing USA: https://www.socialprescribingusa.org/
• Park Rx America: https://www.parkrxamerica.org/
• The Campaign to End Loneliness: https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/
• National Academies of Sciences – Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/25663/social-isolation-and-loneliness-in-older-adults-opportunities-for-the
• U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (2023): https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
• UK National Health Service – Social Prescribing Overview: https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/social-prescribing/
• World Health Organization: Social Prescribing Toolkit (2023): https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240072674
• The King's Fund – What is Social Prescribing? https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/social-prescribing

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In this milestone 10th episode, Stacie brings us behind the scenes in a Real Life Business study--a detailed walk into the pitch deck of The Human-Canine Alliance--a bold plan to reimagine mental health care and animal rescue in one unified solution.

See the pitch deck slides on YouTube!

Learn about TH-CA's omnipresence approach across multiple channels and insights into the pitch deck's content. Stacie outlines how The Human-Canine Alliance aims to integrate rescue dogs into social prescriptions to provide emotional, physical, and cognitive benefits, and she introduces their AI-powered app for matching rescue dogs with individuals with mental health needs.

Call for expert guests! Stacie is seeking guests to discuss mental health, therapeutic work with dogs, and social prescriptions.

Tune in to hear how we connect the dots to disrupt the current norms.

Sources used in this episode:

• CDC: Mental Health in the U.S. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/index.htm
• NIMH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
• Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1362491/us-mental-health-market-size/
• American Psychological Association: Medication vs Therapy: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2022/report
• ASPCA: Shelter Statistics: https://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics
• NIH: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-working-expand-science-human-animal-bond
• HABRI: https://habri.org/research
• U.S. VA: https://www.research.va.gov/currents/0619-PTSD-service-dogs.cfm
• World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/health-topics/traditional-complementary-and-integrative-medicine
• U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on Loneliness (2023): https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

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