At See Differently, they’ve learned that the most powerful insights often come from the people living the experience. Veterans and their families have been the driving force behind their OPK9 Psychiatric Assistance Dog (PAD) program—helping shape how their services are designed, delivered, and improved.
By embedding their clients’ lived experience into their program, they’ve created partnerships that go far beyond matching a veteran with a dog. They are building knowledge, understanding, and belonging, while creating real social impact that ripples through families, workplaces, and communities.
Kris’ Story: From Isolation to Connection
I served more than two decades in the Australian Navy, in which I completed two tours of duty in the Middle East after the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City, USA on September 11, 2001, and later served on Border Force patrol boats. Over the years, the trauma built up until I reached breaking point. Eventually, I was discharged with a diagnosis of PTSD.
When I left the military, I thought the hard part was behind me. It wasn’t.
In the armed forces, you’re trained to stay alert at all times, and this is essential in conflict, but impossible to switch off. Suddenly, everyday life felt unsafe. Even sitting in a café was too much. I withdrew completely, moving to my mum’s place in the remote Flinders Ranges in South Australia. I thought isolation would help, but it didn’t. It just made me more scared and even lonelier.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I hit a massive low and ended up in the hospital. That’s when a fellow veteran told me about assistance dogs. He’d been matched with one through See Differently’s OPK9 program, and I could see how much it changed his life. My psychiatrist agreed it could help me too.
That’s how I met Wes, a loyal, gentle Labrador who changed everything.
Finding Hope Again
Wes isn’t just my companion— he’s my lifeline. When the darkness creeps in, he knows. He’ll nudge me, lick my hand, or jump up. He’ll do anything to bring me back. He saves me from myself.
Over time, he’s helped me rebuild my confidence and reconnect with the world. With Wes beside me, I can go to cafés, walk through town, even go bushwalking and do the things I never would have done before. Having Wes with me makes it easier to meet people too. He’s the icebreaker that helped me rebuild relationships and reconnect with my family and community.
Turning Experience into Impact
As I grew stronger, I realised my story could help others. Through OPK9, I started sharing my lived experience with new participants trying to help them understand what to expect and how to rebuild trust with their dogs and themselves.
Now, I’m involved in all parts of the program, offering my feedback on training and wellbeing approaches to make the program even better. I’ve also spoken with mental health professionals and policymakers to help them understand what it’s really like to live with PTSD and the difference an assistance dog can make.
It’s not always easy to talk about the hard stuff but knowing it might help another veteran feel less alone makes it worth it. That’s what lived experience is all about: transforming pain into purpose.
The Bigger Picture: Social Impact That Matters
Programs like See Differently’s OPK9 don’t just change individual lives, they create measurable, lasting community impact. Each successful veteran-dog partnership contributes to:
- Improved mental health and wellbeing
- Reduced reliance on clinical and crisis services
- Greater social participation and connection
- Increased capacity for work, volunteering, and study
These outcomes reflect a strong social return on investment (SROI) where every dollar invested delivers exponential value through restored lives, reduced healthcare costs, and stronger, more connected families and communities. This makes conversations with government and our partners meaningful and future focused.
When veterans like me contribute our lived experience to co-design and support a better way for organisations like See Differently to deliver services, that impact multiplies. It builds empathy, credibility, and trust, ensuring assistance dog programs are built with, not just for, the people they serve.
Wes gave me back my life. He helps me stay grounded, feel safe, and reconnect with people again. But just as importantly, he’s shown me that my story and lived experience can help others find their way too.
That’s the real power of partnership and the heart of OPK9.
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Kris served for 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy, undertaking a wide range of roles that included leading and supporting fellow service personnel. During his service, he completed two tours of duty in the Middle East and participated in Border Force patrol operations.
Following a medical discharge from the Navy, Kris was diagnosed with PTSD. He later learned about the See Differently OPK9 program after his mother met another veteran partnered with an assistance dog. Through the program, Kris was matched with his assistance dog, Wes, who has become an important part of his daily life and wellbeing.
Kris and Wes now live in a coastal town in South Australia, where they enjoy time a full life at the beach, long walks, regular visits to their local cafés and meeting new people.
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