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At Foster Village, everyone can do something to support children and caregivers experiencing foster care, and we love highlighting the individuals that make this village so special.

Today’s guest post is from Sarah, who brings professional expertise and a beloved furry friend to be part of Foster Village events and gatherings.

We hope you love getting to know her!

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who are you, who is your crew, and what keeps you busy? 

I’m Sarah Joyner. I am Keva’s mom, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist, and the owner of Love Yours Psychotherapy and Consulting in Austin, Texas. Outside work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our fur babies, cooking, crocheting, Yoga, and traveling. 

I was drawn to social work and mental health fields because not many therapists or healers looked like me growing up. I wanted to create a space where the younger me would feel safe while supporting and guiding others who may have felt similarly growing up. In addition to creating the space, I wanted to be equipped to provide therapy to individuals who have experienced varying degrees of trauma. This led to my training in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), TCYM (trauma-conscious yoga method), and Animal Assisted Therapy. 

Tell us a little bit about Keva! He is such a star around Foster Village.

Keva is a dual psychiatric service and therapy dog. This means he is trained to work one-on-one with me for my diagnosed psychiatric condition and is trained to provide therapeutic support to my clients and kiddos at Foster Village. Keva can tell the difference in the type of work he should be doing based on his “outfit.” his service vest is for when he is working with me, and his bandanas signal that he is there for others. 

Keva is such a kind-hearted dog, and he hasn’t ever met a person he didn’t like. My favorite story about Keva is when he first met a kiddo at Foster Village, whom I believe was recently placed in their foster home. This child was kind, timid, and struggled with verbal communication. However, that didn’t stop them and Keva from playing fetch for nearly an hour. Keva would let them reach into their mouth and grab the ball, and he would give them lots of licks and cuddles to help them feel reassured. We still see this child often during our visits to Foster Village, and it is so beautiful to see how much they have grown into their family. Their verbal communication is getting better each time we see them. Keva shares a special bond with this child, and if you don’t see them playing together outside, you can find them sitting together in the foam pit in the sensory room. 

Tell us about the partnership you’ve formed with Foster Village. How is Keva a part of this community beyond the system?

Our relationship with Foster Village was formed through our dog trainer, Jenny, at Dog Training Elite. Through their recommendation, we were invited to come out, and since then, we go once a month, and my husband has become a volunteer! Volunteering at Foster Village has become more than a volunteer opportunity; it provides Keva with a safe place to connect with children and has inspired our family to go through the adoption process. We are very thankful to the staff at Foster Village for always welcoming us with open arms, and a special thank you goes to the kids who are so kind and gracious towards Keva during his visits. Seeing how excited Keva gets when he realizes where we are is heartwarming. 

We love having you and Keva around and are so grateful for all you do! What moments are sticking out to you from your time at our events and gatherings?

Keva provides a lot of support to the kids and is patient. So many kiddos want to play with him, and sometimes, it’s difficult for everyone to play with him simultaneously. This predicament has allowed us to teach sharing, healthy boundaries, and safe touch. Watching the kids take turns walking him around the yard, running relays with him, or helping him get up the playscape when maybe he’s not so sure is a lovely and humbling experience. It shows that Keva gets just as much, if not more, love and confidence from the kids as they get from him.