Suffern, NY – On Saturday, June 25, nine youngsters, ages 7-15, from United Hospice of Rockland's Healing Hearts program participated in HEAL (Hospice Equine Assisted Loss) Therapy Program, a collaboration between United Hospice of Rockland's Healing Hearts program and Life's Journey Equine Therapy.
On site at the Ramapo Equestrian Center in Suffern, New York, the participants, accompanied by parents, grief counselors, volunteers and equine instructors engaged in activities including “feelings carousel” on horseback, a horse masks activity during which they were able to see the world through the eyes of horses, a leading the horse activity, and hands-on time experiencing how the trainers train horses. The participants then enjoyed pizza, and decorated two ribbons in memory of their loved ones. They attached one ribbon to a horseshoe to keep as a memento and tied the other ribbon on the stall of the horse of their choice.
The innovative HEAL program evolved from a creative collaboration between UHR's Healing Hearts Program Coordinator Sharami Kerr, PhD and Life's Journey Equine Therapy Executive/Program Director Lynn Kuropatkin, facilitated by UHR bereavement counselor Marisa Kuropatkin who is also an instructor at Life’s Journey.
The program is based on the belief that horses can be valuable partners in the healing process, facilitating communication that may not take place any other way. Time spent with horses and at the stable provides unique opportunities for relaxation, the sharing of feelings, and the time to ask questions of Healing Heart's bereavement counselors. Interacting with the horses aids children in regaining a sense of control, one step at a time. Horses are used because they are sensitive to their environment and can act as a mirror to human feelings. For some, their sheer size can be a true representation of the grief that is felt by the child.
Sharami Kerr said that Healing Hearts children have gone through experiences that most children have not. She explains that HEAL is a landmark program, the first time UHR children’s grief counseling has been combined with equine therapy.
Lynn Kuropatkin explained that as horses mirror human feelings they offer biofeedback, allowing professionals to see the reflected emotions. She said in the past her horses have helped the physically disabled and returning veterans with posttraumatic stress syndrome. Now, they have calmed and soothed grieving children.
In a further connection to the contribution of animals to grieving children, HEAL is supported through the generosity of the Skyline Agility Club and its annual Alan Dingman Memorial Relay Tunnel Challenge Fundraiser. Established in 1994, the Skyline Agility Club, located in Garnerville NY (Rockland County), is an active participant in the fast growing sport of dog agility. In addition to popular AKC and NADAC agility trials, the organization conducts several matches and dog agility seminars during the winter months. Visit www.skylineagility.org.
HEAL is open to children, ages 9-18, who have participated in UHR’s Healing Hearts program.
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