Welcome to Barking Mad Company - we’re all mad here!
Ballarat’s premier location for animal assisted therapy (AAT) and mental wellbeing services
Barking Mad Company was born from a simple concept that animals make everything in life just a little bit better, especially visiting a therapist! We believe that everyone brings their own brand of ‘madness’ to the world and sometimes we need support from professionals to navigate life’s challenges and achieve the best version of ourselves.
Our beautiful space in Soldiers Hill offers a relaxed atmosphere to engage with psychology and mental wellbeing services. We provide a range of therapy treatments and psychological assessment services, and clients can choose to engage with our therapy dogs and animals.
Everyone is welcome here. We are especially passionate about men’s mental health, supporting individuals with past trauma, and helping clients to manage chronic conditions including autism and ADHD. Anyone can make an appointment for themselves or seek a referral through your GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist.
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About usAbout Barking Mad Company
Barking Mad Company is a psychology and mental wellbeing practice based in Ballarat, offering a range of assessment and treatment services in a warm, relaxed setting. Located in one of Ballarat’s beautiful heritage buildings, our space is designed to feel welcoming and supportive—far from the ‘stuffy’ medical environments that can make therapy feel clinical or intimidating. Clients also have the unique option to engage with one of our certified therapy dogs during sessions, helping to create a sense of calm and connection. Born from our extensive work with dogs and a deep appreciation for their ability to build trust and companionship, Barking Mad Company was founded on the belief that everyone has their own ‘madness’ to overcome.
We’re here to help you do just that—with compassion, authenticity, and evidence-based mental health care that helps you become the best version of yourself.
At Barking Mad Company we use evidence based psychology treatment with the option to work with one of our therapy dogs.
Meet the Barking Mad team
Our passionate team—both human and animal—is here to make therapy welcoming, supportive, and effective. All of our psychologists are highly trained, with specific qualifications in working alongside therapy dogs. Emma Cotsell, our Managing Director and Psychologist, founded Barking Mad Company to harness the power of the human-animal bond in therapy. She specialises in schema, cognitive, and dialectical behaviour therapies and has a strong interest in men’s mental health, veterans, and positive ageing.
Emma is joined by our therapy dogs: George, a playful and cuddly young Labrador who connects well with neurodiverse clients; Henry, his sweet and shy brother who forms deep bonds; Gypsy, our calm and wise elder Koolie; and Bandit, a chilled Border Collie with a background in grief and rehabilitation support. Together, we create a relaxed, non-judgemental space for clients to thrive.
Our team
