My Healing with Dogs

Hello, my name is Julia! I was born in Rosenheim, Germany in 1975. I am a mother of two adult daughters and used to be high school teacher. Never had I imagined the unexpected twists that would shape my life. In 2014, my world changed drastically when I was diagnosed with severe arthrosis and chronic pain (Fibromyalgia). I went from a life of independence to one bound by crutches. Over the years, I became severely disabled. After two hip replacements in 2021 and 2022, which helped me regain the ability to walk, I continued to live with chronic pain.

In 2023, I arrived in the Terra Canis Dog Sanctuary of Tamera as a volunteer. Being with the dogs in this beautiful environment gave me a sense of happiness I hadn’t felt in years. Then, after three weeks, I noticed my pain was gone, and I was pain-free for the first time in nearly a decade. Researching the therapeutic impact of connection, I understood that dogs could play a transformative role in healing. Now I regularly return to the Terra Canis Sanctuary because it makes me feel healthier, both physically and emotionally. Dogs have transformed my life, which has improved my relationships also with my human family and friends.

I’m dedicated to sharing the stories of the dogs at the Terra Canis Sanctuary, helping them find their forever homes. For more information, reach out to me on Facebook, Instagram, or Telegram.

Thank you to all who have supported and inspired me on this journey. A special thanks to Barbara Kovats and Blanche van der Heijden, the current and former supervisor at the Terra Canis Dog Sanctuary, whose guidance has been invaluable in shaping my understanding of dogs and healing. I am also deeply grateful to my partner Ilia Ryvkin, the talented author and journalist, whose encouragement, wisdom, and support have helped me find my voice and share it through this website. A heartfelt „thank you“ goes to my friend Nadia Massi for enlightening me about the power of oxytocin, the healing hormone. Above all, the greatest thanks go to the dogs themselves, whose presence and unconditional love have made my healing possible.