Healing Strides Of Va

TO PROMOTE WELLNESS FOR PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL CHALLENGES WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM EQUINE-ASSISTED ACTIVITIES AND THERAPIES IN A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

THERAPEUTIC RIDING HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM: 2021 CONTINUED TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR OUR INDUSTRY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND INDEED FOR US TOO. WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO REBUILD THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED WEEKLY, AND TO GROW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME OUT FOR A ONE OR TWO TIME EXPERIENCE. RESEARCH IS CONTINUING TO SHOW THAT THERAPEUTIC RIDING HORSEMANSHIP IS BENEFICIAL TO POPULATIONS WITH COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES. DECREASING TRAUMA TRIGGERS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, HYPERACTIVITY, TO INCREASES IN CONCENTRATION, FOCUS AND CONFIDENCE ARE MORE OF THE OUTCOMES WE SEE. WE KNOW THAT THE STRENGTH OF THE TRUNK, CORE, LEGS, AND SHOULDER MUSCLES, ALONG WITH A POSITIVE CHANGE IN COGNITIVE PROCESSING, BEHAVIOR AND ATTENTION SPAN INCREASES WITH THERAPEUTIC RIDING HORSEMANSHIP. IN 2021 WE ENDED THE YEAR SERVING 39 WEEKS OF THE YEAR INTERACTING WITH APPROXIMATELY 100 INDIVIDUALS, ON AVERAGE, A WEEK. KNOWING THAT OUR OBJECTIVES WERE TO SEE LESS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND FEAR, THE THREE STATED REASONS THAT WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT IN 2021 FOR REASONS THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO PARTICIPAATE IN OUR PROGRAM.

2021 HAS PROVEN TO BE A YEAR OF CONTINUED RE-OPENING AND SERVING. IN WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL SYSTEM WE ARE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE SERVICES IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. HIPPOTHERAPY PROGRAM: HIPPOTHERAPY IS A FORM OF THERAPY USING THE CADENCE AND MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE AS A VIABLE SURFACE TO ENCOURAGE AND MOTIVATE CLIENTS TO REACH PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH THERAPY GOALS. A HIPPOTHERAPY TEAM CONSISTS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPIST, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST OR SPEECH THERAPIST, A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR AND AN EQUINE PARTNER. HIPPOTHERAPY CONSISTS OF TWO 12 WEEK SESSIONS PER YEAR.

MENTAL HEALTH/EDUCATIONAL/COACHING PROGRAM: THIS PROGRAM SERVES PARTICIPANTS THAT HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OR PERSONAL CHALLENGE OR PERSONAL GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AREA THAT NEEDS INTERVENTION SUCH AS PSYCHOTHERAPY, EDUCATION OR COACHING. PARTICIPANTS RANGE FROM CHILDREN WITH TRAUMA TO ADULTS WHO NEED HELP IN LEARNING PARENTING SKILLS, TO ANY AGE THAT NEEDS TO LEARN LIFE SKILLS. WE FOCUS ON CREATING A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP THAT ALLOWS THE PARTICIPANT TO MAKE THE NEEDED CHANGE TO REACH THEIR GOALS. OUR BASE PARTICIPANTS ARE TYPICALLY PEOPLE FROM AGES 10-65 THAT HAVE BEEN IN TYPICAL THERAPY WITHOUT SUCCESS AND NEED A NEW APPROACH TO BEING OPEN TO THERAPY AND EDUCATION/COACHING. WE WORK WITH LICENSED PROFESSIONALS AND TEACHERS, CERTIFIED COACHES AND EQUINE SPECIALISTS TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. 2021 CONTINUED TO BE ONE OF THE HARDEST YEARS IN OUR HISTORY FOR OUR MENTAL WELLNESS. THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS JUMP IN NEEDED SERVICES. THE LARGEST NEED FOR OUR YOUTH IS SOCIAL DEPRESSION AND LACK OF SKILLS IN THESE AREAS, LACK OF RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AT LARGE. THIS CREATES PROBLEMS FOR BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN ALIKE. THESE ARE TYPICALLY 12-16 WEEK INTERVENTIONS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROMOTE CHANGE FOR OUR CLIENTS. THE TIME IS CLINICAL REVIEWED AND DETERMINED THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR THIS INTERVENTION. WE HAVE ADDED EQUINE ASSISTED PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP COACHING TO OUR PURVIEW AND ARE ENGAGING IN HELPING BUILD ENGAGEMENT FOR OUR LOCAL COUNTIES AND BUSINESSES, AS IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT DURING COVID AND THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WERE PLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS, THAT BUSINESSES NEEDED TO REDISCOVER HOW TO CONNECT WITH THEIR TEAMS. WE ARE HARNESSING THE POWER OF THE COMMON THREAD OF LEADING HORSES TO LEADING PEOPLE. IT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.