They said my dog couldn’t come in. What they really meant was—I wasn’t allowed to feel safe. After surviving police brutality, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and trauma stacked on trauma, Allen Dekeyser finally found something that helped him survive: Harley, his psychiatric service dog. Trained to detect panic attacks, interrupt dissociation, and provide deep pressure therapy, Harley is more than a companion—he’s a lifeline. But when mental health hospitals told Allen his service dog wasn't allowed in treatment rooms, they didn’t just deny access—they denied dignity. This is the true story of what it feels like to be silenced, dismissed, and retraumatized by the very system designed to heal. Told with raw honesty and unstoppable heart, The Seat Without My Dog is a powerful memoir and call to action for trauma survivors, disability advocates, and anyone who’s ever been forced to sit in the fire without their shield. If you've ever felt invisible in the places you needed most... If you've ever had to fight for your basic rights while trying to heal... If your dog has ever saved your life when the system let you down...This book is for you.
They said my dog couldn’t come in. What they really meant was—I wasn’t allowed to feel safe. After surviving police brutality, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and trauma stacked on trauma, Allen Dekeyser finally found something that helped him survive: Harley, his psychiatric service dog. Trained to detect panic attacks, interrupt dissociation, and provide deep pressure therapy, Harley is more than a companion—he’s a lifeline. But when mental health hospitals told Allen his service dog wasn't allowed in treatment rooms, they didn’t just deny access—they denied dignity. This is the true story of what it feels like to be silenced, dismissed, and retraumatized by the very system designed to heal. Told with raw honesty and unstoppable heart, The Seat Without My Dog is a powerful memoir and call to action for trauma survivors, disability advocates, and anyone who’s ever been forced to sit in the fire without their shield. If you've ever felt invisible in the places you needed most... If you've ever had to fight for your basic rights while trying to heal... If your dog has ever saved your life when the system let you down...This book is for you.