The Shady Oak Center for Equine Therapy
"Making a Difference One Life at a Time"
What We Believe:
The idea is elegantly simple: Put a person with the right horse for them and let the two of them bond. There is a bridge of communication established in which the horse and the human begin to understand one another. It is a communication of the heart. That unspoken communication is experienced rather than understood, and that experience teaches us what we need to learn. Anyone who's looked deep into the languid pools of a horse's eyes knows that experience. The Shady Oak Center for Equine Therapy was created because for many, and now more than ever, there is a need for healing and we believe that the greatest contribution horses can make to human beings is just beginning to be understood.
Why Horses?
Because horses, like all animals, aren't mind-obsessed. They live completely in the present, the now. That's pretty much all that exists for them. When you join with them you enter the now. They are creatures of the heart, just like people. But most of us don't think with our hearts and tend to close that part of us off to others--even though the heart contains many more neuro-transmitters than the brain. Horses know a person by what's in their heart, not their head. They are completely accepting and non-judgmental--so long as you're honest with them, and they will always know when you're not. But more, horses communicate and experience by what they feel, not what they think. And horses seem to be especially adept at intuition. They want what we all want really, which is to feel connected, and they can see into a person and through the false self we are taught to present. They know who we are, even when we don't.
How It Works:
There are various forms of Equine Therapy. Some include mounting a horse and experiencing the special confidence that only riding can instill. Others involve being in a pen or a corral with an Equine Specialist who watches and coaches, encourages and assures, sometimes in the company of a therapist. That can involve interacting with the horse and learning trust and respect. Or, it can simply be a person tending a horse, cleaning it's hooves and brushing it's coat, placing their hands on the horses body and feeling the life coarsing within it.
First and foremost, for any healing to take place the participants must always feel safe and secure. Neither the human being nor the horse can be put at risk of harm. Therefore, whatever form of Equine Therapy is employed it is always safe and never dangerous to human or horse. All of the horses that participate in our program are well-known to us, have received the requisite training, can be handled easily -- even by someone who's never before been near a horse-- and are mentally and physically sound. We regard them as part of our staff.
Who Can Benefit:
The limits to the beneficial applications of equine facilitated therapy have yet to be discovered and with each passing year, as more and more practitioners are reaching out to help those in need, the more we realize the vast potential that exists. Currently, these are the conditions in which equine facilitated growth, learning and therapy have been beneficial:
Anxiety and Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Alienation from Self and Others
At Risk Children
Victims of Domestic Abuse
Physical Disabilities
Learning Disabilities
Autism
Addictions
Grief Management
Eating Disorders
Attention Deficit Disorder
OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM
At The Shady Oak Center for Equine Healing we strive to practice natural horsemanship for our horses and within our organization we are committed to the idea of consensual leadership. This means that, as it is in the horse world, one leads with the consent of the other members of the group, or herd. As it also is with horses, leadership changes depending on circumstances and who has the better idea or way that advances the well-being of the whole. Unlike horses, however, humans like titles and descriptions. As such, here are the members of our team:
Margo Dockendorf, Founder and Executive Director
Margo is an attorney and a member of the California State Bar for over 25 years. She founded Equine Justice as a non-profit organization in 2009 to advocate against the slaughter of horses and to educate the public on important issues concerning horses. But not long after its founding, Equine Justice became a horse rescue as well. The process of rehabilitating horses scarred by human abuse and neglect lead to Margo's exploration of the incredible and long-overlooked contribution horses can make in healing humans who have also been injured physically, emotionally and psychologically. In 2011, she created The Shady Oak Center for Equine Therapy to further advance that idea and to help people most in need of healing.
Alison Elizabeth Huntley, M.A., Psychotherapist and EAP/EAL Program Director
Alison's dedication to helping people deal with life's challenges and overcoming emotional traumas has been the cornerstone of her professional career. Her passion for enriching people's lives is matched only by her love of horses, and her overriding belief in their restorative, healing natures. So it was natural that those two compelling interests lead her to establish a career as a licensed psychotherapist and then to become a certified equine facilitated healer. Alison has a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology and been a practicing psychotherapist for nearly fifteen years. In addition, Alison is a graduate of the Institute of Professional Empowerment Coaching and holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration. As a psychotherapist she has worked with individuals in treatment for substance abuse and DSM-diagnosed disorders. She has also been certified as an Equine Specialist by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) Levels I and II, and has applied her combined knowledge, skill and experience to help U.S. active duty military personnel and veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Alison has also served as Director of Human Resources for the law firm of Smith, Gill, Fisher & Butts, P.C. and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Rebecca Zimmerman, Director of Operations and Shady Oak Facility Manager
Rebecca has been passionate about animal welfare all of her life, and particularly when it comes to horses. She has been an integral part of Equine Justice since it was established and has been involved in providing care and training to our rescue horses. She applies a tender regard for all horses and their rehabilitation and healing, providing a loving space for them to regain their trust of human beings. She has worked closely with Dee Gleason for almost three years in the area of healing arts, barn management and the a-z of horse care.
Rebecca has a special interest in hospice care for people undergoing the ultimate transition for themselves and loved ones, as well as working with women facing special challenges in their pursuit of empowerment. Though often in the background, Rebecca's role and participation in the team is essential.
OUR PROGRAM PROVIDERS
Dee Gleason, Trainer and Riding Instructor, Healing Artist
Dee Gleason's love of horses has been a consistent part of her life since she began riding as a small child. After studying and practicing for years to be a skilled equestrian she turned her focus toward training others in equitation and natural horsemanship that emphasizes unity between a person and a horse based upon communication and understanding. She regards every horse as an individual with unique qualities and experiences, and recognizes the importance of knowing a horse's mind, its emotional make-up and understanding the many subtle ways horses communicate with us. Most importantly, Dee recognizes that to be effective with any horse we must be aware of ourselves and in doing so how horses can make us better human beings.
Dee has operated a riding and boarding facility in Fallbrook, California for over a dozen years and she has been an integral part of Equine Justice since it was established. In addition, Dee herself has rescued, rehabilitated and found good homes for many unfortunate horses over the years. In addition to horses, Dee's interests include providing alternative healing to people and animals, and is a Reiki Master, a practitioner of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Reconnective Healing.
Cyndi Mantsch, Program Manager
In addition to working with horses for 30 years, Cyndi worked as a Speech/Language Therapist for 25 years in public schools, helping children with voice, fluency, articulation, receptive/expressive language and social skills. She is a certified Equine Specialist in Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), and a Member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH, formerly National Association of Rehabilitative Horsemanship of America, or NARHA), the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA) and USEF. Over the years in which Cyndi has worked in the area of Equine Therapeutic techniques, she has attended conferences and conventions to enhance and deepen her knowledge of equine guided learning. By creating opportunities for children and adults to observe and interact with the powerful presence and reflective nature of horses, Cyndi helps them achieve greater self-confidence, non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, teamwork and positive attitude through programs that include fundamental horsemanship as well as basic safety rules, proper horse care and handling.
Would you like to become part of our team?
We're always looking for new people who share our vision and want to contribute. There's lots of healing to be done. Are you certified in EAGALA, PATH/NAHRA, EPONA or other such method? Would you like to administer your own healing program through us? We'd love to hear from you!
Would you like to become a volunteer to help with the horses and our programs? We'd love to hear from you too!
So, please. . . Get Involved!
(c) 2011 Equine Justice, Inc., a non-profit corporation