PETERSHAM — Author and Christian minister Cynthia Crosson, EdD, recently addressed the annual conference of Assistance Dogs International, Inc., in Indianapolis. ADI is a worldwide coalition of non-profit programs that train and place assistance dogs.
Herself assisted in ministry by Schnauzer Dandi, Crosson writes standard college texts that address post traumatic stress syndrome, PTSD, and childhood abuse and trauma. She is professor emerita of human services, Fitchburg State University.
Crosson’s books for children, “Sunny and Malcolm” and “Only Daddy’s Dog,” illustrated by Carole Williams and published by Haley’s of Athol, provide insight about service dogs for young readers.
Crosson addressed three panels at the ADI conference, attended by some 250 service dog professionals from 15 countries, including the United States.
“You Cannot Cage the Wolf” — a mother’s struggles with the suicide of her soldier son, Crosson’s account of her journey through grief and loss to healing with the help of family, friends, and service dogs, is scheduled to appear in November from Haley’s.
Crosson’s son Andrew Tower accompanied her to the ADI conference.