as a psychiatric nurse practice at our most of my treatment has been in
most of my treatment has been in
most of my treatment has been in traditional modalities CBT DBT
traditional modalities CBT DBT
traditional modalities CBT DBT supportive counseling pharmacal
supportive counseling pharmacal
supportive counseling pharmacal pharmacology most of my clients also
pharmacology most of my clients also
pharmacology most of my clients also have been victims of trauma on December
have been victims of trauma on December
have been victims of trauma on December 14 2012 I was at work at a hospital in
14 2012 I was at work at a hospital in
14 2012 I was at work at a hospital in Queens and I received a phone call from
Queens and I received a phone call from
Queens and I received a phone call from a friend that there had been food a
a friend that there had been food a
a friend that there had been food a shooting in one of the schools in
shooting in one of the schools in
shooting in one of the schools in Newtown I drove home as quickly as I
Newtown I drove home as quickly as I
Newtown I drove home as quickly as I could I was very fortunate that day I
could I was very fortunate that day I
could I was very fortunate that day I was able to pick up all three of my
was able to pick up all three of my
was able to pick up all three of my children from school 26 people were
children from school 26 people were
children from school 26 people were gunned down that day twenty children and
gunned down that day twenty children and
gunned down that day twenty children and six educators in less than 11 minutes
six educators in less than 11 minutes
six educators in less than 11 minutes the town of Newtown was fortunate in the
the town of Newtown was fortunate in the
the town of Newtown was fortunate in the fact that many mental health people came
fact that many mental health people came
fact that many mental health people came to town to see how they could help one
to town to see how they could help one
to town to see how they could help one of the organizations that Barford hub
of the organizations that Barford hub
of the organizations that Barford hub was an organization called Ogawa I’ve
was an organization called Ogawa I’ve
was an organization called Ogawa I’ve been in the field for 30 years I never
been in the field for 30 years I never
been in the field for 30 years I never heard of a gala they actually were
heard of a gala they actually were
heard of a gala they actually were founded in 1999 they’re an international
founded in 1999 they’re an international
founded in 1999 they’re an international organization and they train people in
organization and they train people in
organization and they train people in equine assisted psychotherapy the
equine assisted psychotherapy the
equine assisted psychotherapy the premise of the therapy is there is a
premise of the therapy is there is a
premise of the therapy is there is a licensed mental health clinician who
licensed mental health clinician who
licensed mental health clinician who becomes trained partnered with an equine
becomes trained partnered with an equine
becomes trained partnered with an equine specialist who is of course expert a
specialist who is of course expert a
specialist who is of course expert a herd of horses and the client my friend
herd of horses and the client my friend
herd of horses and the client my friend and that at the time of the tragedy
and that at the time of the tragedy
and that at the time of the tragedy immediately opened up her farms of the
immediately opened up her farms of the
immediately opened up her farms of the community the a gala folks went there
community the a gala folks went there
community the a gala folks went there they did some treatment she also let
they did some treatment she also let
they did some treatment she also let families go there just to have a safe
families go there just to have a safe
families go there just to have a safe space today in 2013 a year later when I
space today in 2013 a year later when I
space today in 2013 a year later when I felt I had time to process the event
felt I had time to process the event
felt I had time to process the event myself and that came to me and asked me
myself and that came to me and asked me
myself and that came to me and asked me if I would become certified so I said
if I would become certified so I said
if I would become certified so I said sure
sure
sure the certification was unlike any other
the certification was unlike any other
the certification was unlike any other training I’ve been to um it was it an
training I’ve been to um it was it an
training I’ve been to um it was it an indoor horse arena you’re all bundled up
indoor horse arena you’re all bundled up
indoor horse arena you’re all bundled up there are about thirty folks there and
there are about thirty folks there and
there are about thirty folks there and there was a herd of horses running
there was a herd of horses running
there was a herd of horses running around as I was sitting there with the
around as I was sitting there with the
around as I was sitting there with the horse people in the mental health people
horse people in the mental health people
horse people in the mental health people someone said oh the horses will show us
someone said oh the horses will show us
someone said oh the horses will show us the way the horses will let us know what
the way the horses will let us know what
the way the horses will let us know what to
to
to and I was thinking to myself really on
and I was thinking to myself really on
and I was thinking to myself really on being a science-based nurse practitioner
being a science-based nurse practitioner
being a science-based nurse practitioner I was a little skeptical of the whole
I was a little skeptical of the whole
I was a little skeptical of the whole equine therapy I mean I was always
equine therapy I mean I was always
equine therapy I mean I was always sitting there with my skepticism I felt
sitting there with my skepticism I felt
sitting there with my skepticism I felt a push to the back of my head I looked
a push to the back of my head I looked
a push to the back of my head I looked up and standing above me was a 1200
up and standing above me was a 1200
up and standing above me was a 1200 pound horse standing about six foot tall
pound horse standing about six foot tall
pound horse standing about six foot tall looking into my eyes at that moment I
looking into my eyes at that moment I
looking into my eyes at that moment I felt that he could feel that I had an
felt that he could feel that I had an
felt that he could feel that I had an attitude so I said okay let me open my
attitude so I said okay let me open my
attitude so I said okay let me open my minds up to the process so my thoughts
minds up to the process so my thoughts
minds up to the process so my thoughts went further and I thought to myself
went further and I thought to myself
went further and I thought to myself well why horses why not a different
well why horses why not a different
well why horses why not a different animal why equine assisted psychotherapy
animal why equine assisted psychotherapy
animal why equine assisted psychotherapy well I’ve learned a lot about horses
well I’ve learned a lot about horses
well I’ve learned a lot about horses since then so horses like to be with
since then so horses like to be with
since then so horses like to be with other horses they don’t like to be alone
other horses they don’t like to be alone
other horses they don’t like to be alone they like to be in a herd I’m just like
they like to be in a herd I’m just like
they like to be in a herd I’m just like we don’t like to be alone we like to be
we don’t like to be alone we like to be
we don’t like to be alone we like to be with our families we’d like to be with
with our families we’d like to be with
with our families we’d like to be with friends we like to be in relationships
friends we like to be in relationships
friends we like to be in relationships we like to have school friends I mean
we like to have school friends I mean
we like to have school friends I mean horses very much you’re the same way
horses very much you’re the same way
horses very much you’re the same way horses like people also have attitudes
horses like people also have attitudes
horses like people also have attitudes and distinctive personalities so within
and distinctive personalities so within
and distinctive personalities so within their own heard there’s dynamics that go
their own heard there’s dynamics that go
their own heard there’s dynamics that go on just like in human relationships
on just like in human relationships
on just like in human relationships who’s in charge who’s a follower who’s a
who’s in charge who’s a follower who’s a
who’s in charge who’s a follower who’s a passive who’s annoying who do they want
passive who’s annoying who do they want
passive who’s annoying who do they want to get out of the herd um so it’s very
to get out of the herd um so it’s very
to get out of the herd um so it’s very much in tune with people horses also
much in tune with people horses also
much in tune with people horses also just being so large are perfect parallel
just being so large are perfect parallel
just being so large are perfect parallel when we want to face a trauma or
when we want to face a trauma or
when we want to face a trauma or something that’s very difficult in our
something that’s very difficult in our
something that’s very difficult in our life so the physical state of the force
life so the physical state of the force
life so the physical state of the force also parallels the big obstacle that you
also parallels the big obstacle that you
also parallels the big obstacle that you might face back when horses were living
might face back when horses were living
might face back when horses were living in the wild they were animals that were
in the wild they were animals that were
in the wild they were animals that were preyed upon so they had to have a very
preyed upon so they had to have a very
preyed upon so they had to have a very keen awareness of their environment and
keen awareness of their environment and
keen awareness of their environment and also different nonverbals in order to
also different nonverbals in order to
also different nonverbals in order to survive they had to know when to run and
survive they had to know when to run and
survive they had to know when to run and flee so because of that they have to
flee so because of that they have to
flee so because of that they have to also learn how to get along in their own
also learn how to get along in their own
also learn how to get along in their own herd if they can’t get along and they’re
herd if they can’t get along and they’re
herd if they can’t get along and they’re pushed out then they
pushed out then they
pushed out then they more vulnerable going back to science
more vulnerable going back to science
more vulnerable going back to science for a minute Charles Darwin who studied
for a minute Charles Darwin who studied
for a minute Charles Darwin who studied mammals learned that mammals all use
mammals learned that mammals all use
mammals learned that mammals all use similar muscles for facial expressions
similar muscles for facial expressions
similar muscles for facial expressions so horses because of their ability to
so horses because of their ability to
so horses because of their ability to really observe their environment can
really observe their environment can
really observe their environment can have the uncanny ability to read human
have the uncanny ability to read human
have the uncanny ability to read human emotion and I think that day when I got
emotion and I think that day when I got
emotion and I think that day when I got knocked in the head out of all the
knocked in the head out of all the
knocked in the head out of all the people in the circle I think the horse
people in the circle I think the horse
people in the circle I think the horse was picking up on the attitude I had
was picking up on the attitude I had
was picking up on the attitude I had that day I want to speak a minute about
that day I want to speak a minute about
that day I want to speak a minute about on PTSD so post-traumatic stress
on PTSD so post-traumatic stress
on PTSD so post-traumatic stress disorder can happen a series of trauma
disorder can happen a series of trauma
disorder can happen a series of trauma it also can occur with a single event
it also can occur with a single event
it also can occur with a single event and the hypothesis about PTSD is that
and the hypothesis about PTSD is that
and the hypothesis about PTSD is that our autonomic nervous system goes on
our autonomic nervous system goes on
our autonomic nervous system goes on overdrive so we have that
overdrive so we have that
overdrive so we have that fight-or-flight response that I think
fight-or-flight response that I think
fight-or-flight response that I think everybody is familiar with everyone’s
everybody is familiar with everyone’s
everybody is familiar with everyone’s had an experience in their life where
had an experience in their life where
had an experience in their life where they had that intense anxiety I was
they had that intense anxiety I was
they had that intense anxiety I was having it backstage actually trying to
having it backstage actually trying to
having it backstage actually trying to figure out how to get out of here
figure out how to get out of here
figure out how to get out of here so that’s what happens but with PTSD
so that’s what happens but with PTSD
so that’s what happens but with PTSD doesn’t go away
doesn’t go away
doesn’t go away so it’s chronic and you’re constantly
so it’s chronic and you’re constantly
so it’s chronic and you’re constantly uncomfortable and there also could be
uncomfortable and there also could be
uncomfortable and there also could be triggers with PTSD and you know what we
triggers with PTSD and you know what we
triggers with PTSD and you know what we learned with the work with the children
learned with the work with the children
learned with the work with the children and the adolescents and families in
and the adolescents and families in
and the adolescents and families in Newtown that they were experiencing a
Newtown that they were experiencing a
Newtown that they were experiencing a lot of PTSD and a lot of triggers for
lot of PTSD and a lot of triggers for
lot of PTSD and a lot of triggers for example if they’ve heard a fire engine
example if they’ve heard a fire engine
example if they’ve heard a fire engine and that could be a trigger on the
and that could be a trigger on the
and that could be a trigger on the fourth of July became a trigger with the
fourth of July became a trigger with the
fourth of July became a trigger with the fireworks on kids complains of not being
fireworks on kids complains of not being
fireworks on kids complains of not being able to go to a amusement park because
able to go to a amusement park because
able to go to a amusement park because they couldn’t tolerate hearing screams
they couldn’t tolerate hearing screams
they couldn’t tolerate hearing screams of other children even though it was
of other children even though it was
of other children even though it was joyful screaming I’m all the way to kids
joyful screaming I’m all the way to kids
joyful screaming I’m all the way to kids not even be able to enter a school not
not even be able to enter a school not
not even be able to enter a school not wanting to go to a school not wanting to
wanting to go to a school not wanting to
wanting to go to a school not wanting to drive cats with school not wanting to be
drive cats with school not wanting to be
drive cats with school not wanting to be on a bus I’m at home being unable to
on a bus I’m at home being unable to
on a bus I’m at home being unable to sleep alone wanting to go from different
sleep alone wanting to go from different
sleep alone wanting to go from different parts of their home with other people
parts of their home with other people
parts of their home with other people just that intense overdrive of the
just that intense overdrive of the
just that intense overdrive of the fight-or-flight feeling my own son who
fight-or-flight feeling my own son who
fight-or-flight feeling my own son who was my kids were all in different
was my kids were all in different
was my kids were all in different schools none of them
schools none of them
schools none of them in the Sandy Hook school but my son was
in the Sandy Hook school but my son was
in the Sandy Hook school but my son was in fourth grade at the time in a
in fourth grade at the time in a
in fourth grade at the time in a different elementary school and he had
different elementary school and he had
different elementary school and he had said to me that he couldn’t concentrate
said to me that he couldn’t concentrate
said to me that he couldn’t concentrate anymore in school when I asked him why
anymore in school when I asked him why
anymore in school when I asked him why he said he was thinking about all day
he said he was thinking about all day
he said he was thinking about all day about how he could get out of the school
about how he could get out of the school
about how he could get out of the school in case an intruder came again and he
in case an intruder came again and he
in case an intruder came again and he said he finally figured out how to get
said he finally figured out how to get
said he finally figured out how to get out but he couldn’t figure out how to
out but he couldn’t figure out how to
out but he couldn’t figure out how to get to the other side of the school to
get to the other side of the school to
get to the other side of the school to get his sister before he left so you
get his sister before he left so you
get his sister before he left so you know this is a this is an example of how
know this is a this is an example of how
know this is a this is an example of how you know the traumas in the school but
you know the traumas in the school but
you know the traumas in the school but it really goes to the whole whole
it really goes to the whole whole
it really goes to the whole whole periphery of the community and trauma
periphery of the community and trauma
periphery of the community and trauma really is what your idea of the
really is what your idea of the
really is what your idea of the experience convey so now we’re back to
experience convey so now we’re back to
experience convey so now we’re back to 2013 and a lot of the kids it had a year
2013 and a lot of the kids it had a year
2013 and a lot of the kids it had a year passed a tragedy a lot of the people
passed a tragedy a lot of the people
passed a tragedy a lot of the people that were helping were gone
that were helping were gone
that were helping were gone you know Annette and I were trained at
you know Annette and I were trained at
you know Annette and I were trained at the time I’m a lot of kids were stuck in
the time I’m a lot of kids were stuck in
the time I’m a lot of kids were stuck in their talk therapy a lot of families
their talk therapy a lot of families
their talk therapy a lot of families said forget it we’re not feeling better
said forget it we’re not feeling better
said forget it we’re not feeling better we don’t want to do that we don’t want
we don’t want to do that we don’t want
we don’t want to do that we don’t want to do our therapy anymore so we started
to do our therapy anymore so we started
to do our therapy anymore so we started seeing kids at the farm and you know you
seeing kids at the farm and you know you
seeing kids at the farm and you know you can see in the picture is you see some
can see in the picture is you see some
can see in the picture is you see some of the equipment there
of the equipment there
of the equipment there so with equine assisted psychotherapy
so with equine assisted psychotherapy
so with equine assisted psychotherapy there’s a licensed mental health
there’s a licensed mental health
there’s a licensed mental health clinician and there’s an equine
clinician and there’s an equine
clinician and there’s an equine specialist and a herd of horses and we
specialist and a herd of horses and we
specialist and a herd of horses and we want to use a variety of different props
want to use a variety of different props
want to use a variety of different props so we use pool noodles and pull calls
so we use pool noodles and pull calls
so we use pool noodles and pull calls and we’ll write different feeling states
and we’ll write different feeling states
and we’ll write different feeling states on the pool noodles different things
on the pool noodles different things
on the pool noodles different things they can move around the arena so the
they can move around the arena so the
they can move around the arena so the child or adolescent our family arrives
child or adolescent our family arrives
child or adolescent our family arrives to the arena and the first thing we say
to the arena and the first thing we say
to the arena and the first thing we say to them is go get to know the horses
to them is go get to know the horses
to them is go get to know the horses walk on time we looked at what do you
walk on time we looked at what do you
walk on time we looked at what do you mean go get to know the horses kids
mean go get to know the horses kids
mean go get to know the horses kids today are so pressured about wanting to
today are so pressured about wanting to
today are so pressured about wanting to do things right that an open-ended
do things right that an open-ended
do things right that an open-ended statement like that really we’ve noticed
statement like that really we’ve noticed
statement like that really we’ve noticed elicits a lot of anxiety for them
elicits a lot of anxiety for them
elicits a lot of anxiety for them because they’re like what am I supposed
because they’re like what am I supposed
because they’re like what am I supposed to do how am I supposed to do it and
to do how am I supposed to do it and
to do how am I supposed to do it and again we say them well however you know
again we say them well however you know
again we say them well however you know you want to do it it’s fine it’s about
you want to do it it’s fine it’s about
you want to do it it’s fine it’s about your experience so some of the kids
your experience so some of the kids
your experience so some of the kids initially might want to brush a horse or
initially might want to brush a horse or
initially might want to brush a horse or groom a horse and an added bonus of that
groom a horse and an added bonus of that
groom a horse and an added bonus of that is there’s been some studies that
is there’s been some studies that
is there’s been some studies that actually grooming a horse lowers the
actually grooming a horse lowers the
actually grooming a horse lowers the cortisol in our body
cortisol in our body
cortisol in our body which is our stress hormone so it’s
which is our stress hormone so it’s
which is our stress hormone so it’s naturally relaxing so I always get
naturally relaxing so I always get
naturally relaxing so I always get excited when I see a kid start to brush
excited when I see a kid start to brush
excited when I see a kid start to brush the horse at the beginning of the
the horse at the beginning of the
the horse at the beginning of the session I want to talk about one
session I want to talk about one
session I want to talk about one particular task that we’ve done in the
particular task that we’ve done in the
particular task that we’ve done in the sessions that’s really been very helpful
sessions that’s really been very helpful
sessions that’s really been very helpful for the kids in Newtown with the pool
for the kids in Newtown with the pool
for the kids in Newtown with the pool noodles we had asked the kids to build
noodles we had asked the kids to build
noodles we had asked the kids to build on the ground their house and then a
on the ground their house and then a
on the ground their house and then a path to their school and then we asked
path to their school and then we asked
path to their school and then we asked them to put different obstacles along
them to put different obstacles along
them to put different obstacles along the path and then they’re told they have
the path and then they’re told they have
the path and then they’re told they have to take the herd of horses to their
to take the herd of horses to their
to take the herd of horses to their house down the path into the school over
house down the path into the school over
house down the path into the school over the obstacles
the obstacles
the obstacles now since horses mirror human facial
now since horses mirror human facial
now since horses mirror human facial expression our body language how we’re
expression our body language how we’re
expression our body language how we’re feeling the horses will mirror what’s
feeling the horses will mirror what’s
feeling the horses will mirror what’s going on with the kid so the kid is
going on with the kid so the kid is
going on with the kid so the kid is anxious about going to school that
anxious about going to school that
anxious about going to school that they’re not gonna be able to get that
they’re not gonna be able to get that
they’re not gonna be able to get that horse down that pat that noodle path
horse down that pat that noodle path
horse down that pat that noodle path those horses are not going so it really
those horses are not going so it really
those horses are not going so it really elicits a great opportunity for the
elicits a great opportunity for the
elicits a great opportunity for the child then to process what their own
child then to process what their own
child then to process what their own obstacles are so when the child is
obstacles are so when the child is
obstacles are so when the child is anxious the horse is anxious if the
anxious the horse is anxious if the
anxious the horse is anxious if the child starts to feel better and
child starts to feel better and
child starts to feel better and empowered the horses feel empowered so
empowered the horses feel empowered so
empowered the horses feel empowered so it’s a very remarkable feeling for the
it’s a very remarkable feeling for the
it’s a very remarkable feeling for the for the child for the first time many of
for the child for the first time many of
for the child for the first time many of the kids were able to talk about what
the kids were able to talk about what
the kids were able to talk about what they heard saw on felts the day of the
they heard saw on felts the day of the
they heard saw on felts the day of the shooting so for them it was really
shooting so for them it was really
shooting so for them it was really transforming I want to talk about a
transforming I want to talk about a
transforming I want to talk about a particular horse I think he was in one
particular horse I think he was in one
particular horse I think he was in one of the slides you’ve seen he’s lived a
of the slides you’ve seen he’s lived a
of the slides you’ve seen he’s lived a little girl his name is Willy want to
little girl his name is Willy want to
little girl his name is Willy want to give him a shout-out tonight he’s
give him a shout-out tonight he’s
give him a shout-out tonight he’s missing an eye he had gotten infection
missing an eye he had gotten infection
missing an eye he had gotten infection and the eye was removed many years ago
and the eye was removed many years ago
and the eye was removed many years ago and he’s turned out to be one of the
and he’s turned out to be one of the
and he’s turned out to be one of the favorite horses of the children and the
favorite horses of the children and the
favorite horses of the children and the teens at first when they see him with
teens at first when they see him with
teens at first when they see him with the gaping part where the eye should be
the gaping part where the eye should be
the gaping part where the eye should be they get taken aback a bit but once they
they get taken aback a bit but once they
they get taken aback a bit but once they see his resilience and how he’s able to
see his resilience and how he’s able to
see his resilience and how he’s able to accomplish the task his resilience they
accomplish the task his resilience they
accomplish the task his resilience they feel the resilience as well so he’s been
feel the resilience as well so he’s been
feel the resilience as well so he’s been really a great horse for us to work with
really a great horse for us to work with
really a great horse for us to work with really I have to say I never thought
really I have to say I never thought
really I have to say I never thought that I would be
that I would be
that I would be fan of an alternative therapy but
fan of an alternative therapy but
fan of an alternative therapy but working with the kids and seeing the
working with the kids and seeing the
working with the kids and seeing the transformation has been nothing short of
transformation has been nothing short of
transformation has been nothing short of magical it’s been in an absolute honor
magical it’s been in an absolute honor
magical it’s been in an absolute honor to be part of the healing with the kids
to be part of the healing with the kids
to be part of the healing with the kids in my town and I’m forever grateful to
in my town and I’m forever grateful to
in my town and I’m forever grateful to the wonderful horses that have helped
the wonderful horses that have helped
the wonderful horses that have helped the kids and adolescents heal in Newtown
the kids and adolescents heal in Newtown
the kids and adolescents heal in Newtown thank you
”
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