Connecting Hands, Hearts, Horses and Healing

Winston Churchill once remarked that, "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person." Nowhere is this more evident than with equine assisted therapy modalities. As highly sensitive social animals who possess a profound awareness of nonverbal communication, horses mirror human thoughts and feelings and provide immediate feedback to people who interact or attempt to interact with them. This dynamic creates a rich opportunity to use the horses' sensitivity as an avenue toward emotional growth and development through the grieving process for children and adults. This workshop introduces participants to the healing power of the horse in grief counseling and will provide information regarding individual reflection, effective evaluation techniques being developed to address the stress levels of the horses in relation to grief work, addressing the horse as a member of the team and the reaction to the death of that team member, activity ideas associated with the value and benefits of equine assisted grief counseling and suggested programmatic structure incorporating the EAGALA Model.

Kimberly Henry holds a Masters in Therapeutic Recreation and a Masters in Inclusive Early Childhood Special Education, encompassing 20 years in hospice work and providing community education relating to grief and loss. Certified through EAGALA and a member of the Association of Death, Education and Counseling where she is certified as a Thanatologist , a member of NAGC (National Alliance for Grieving Children) she is also the founder and executive director of Mane Support, Inc. an equine assisted grief counseling ministry and nonprofit, now in its 7th year In addition she is the author of Hoof to Heart… a guide to understanding grief, loss and the healing power of the ho