Lead The Way

Lead The Way is a private mental health practice in Ferntree Gully, Victoria, that blends clinical psychology with structured animal-assisted approaches to support children, adolescents, families and other clients. Established in 2003, the service offers individual, adolescent and family therapy alongside group programmes and low-cost counselling options, and places particular emphasis on integrating animals into therapeutic work to enhance relaxation, mood and self-esteem. They run specialised programs in animal-assisted therapy and therapeutic dog training, including certification pathways and Puppy Preparation and group dog training classes designed to prepare pets for support roles. Through the Lead The Way Institute they provide professional training and clinical supervision for practitioners and pet owners interested in animal-assisted interactions, plus WellPaws training aimed at emotional support dogs. The organisation also supports telehealth appointments for remote therapy and maintains a focus on community engagement and professional development in the field of animal-assisted interventions. Overall, Lead The Way combines psychological services with evidence-informed animal-assisted practices and training to promote resilience and emotional wellbeing among diverse clients, offering both hands-on animal training for support roles and therapeutic programs that integrate well-trained dogs into clinical work.