Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Animal Assisted Therapy Documentary HORSES AND HEROES Needs Your Help


 

Here is a guest post by Theresa Chaze on an important project:
 
Animal Assisted Therapy has been extremely effective for those who are physically and emotionally challenged, and it has become more widely used in cases of PTSD, especially for veterans.
Although almost any animal can be a healer, dogs and horses are the ones that are most commonly partnered with veterans. Dogs have the advantage of being accepted in both cities and rural areas. 

However, horses are known to better reflect the mood of the person handling them. This ability is helpful for PSTD patients to learn how to recognize their own feelings. In this way, they learn how to retrain their mind and body reacts to stressors.

The planned documentary HORSES AND HEROES will be hosted by veteran Barbara (Bobby) Kilgore. Enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in 1980, she served six years and was honorably discharged.  In 1995 she enlisted in the United States Army, from which she retired in October 2011.


Founded in 2001, Charity Hill Ranch specializes in Traumatic Brain Injury and rehabilitation utilizing all the assets a farm and horse have to offer. 

Christine O'Connell is a PATH International Certified Instructor of 10 years and specializes in Traumatic Brain Injury as well as being a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. Sarah Wilson is a Mental Health Specialist with a degree in psychology and education. She offers tutoring and program planning at the ranch.

Mid-Michigan Equestrian Center, Inc, which is located at Charity Hill Ranch, is a non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation that believes that riding and caring for horses profoundly affects the lives of people with disabilities and enables them to live a more fulfilling and complete life. The mission is to provide programs and services where “Love in Action” enables individual growth and achievement for people who have special needs, through an extraordinary partnership with horses and staff. 

Carefully trained and certified instructors work with clients to take advantage of every healing minute at the ranch. At-risk children develop healthy trust and relationships. Those with disabilities learn responsibility, develop communication skills and use this therapy as a way to create life-long passions.

Charity Hill Ranch is a proud member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. It is also a member of Horses for Heroes Inc. 

Based in Las Vegas and founded in 2006, the mission of Horses for Heroes is to make horseback riding affordable for, and accessible to, active duty servicemen and women, veterans, first responders, and their families.

A semi-scripted documentary, HORSES AND HEROES will create a greater awareness of Animal Assisted Therapy for civilians, military personnel, veterans, and their families. The goal is to create an understanding of how and why the therapy works, thereby giving those suffering from PTSD another therapeutic option.

Cosmos Productions has created a crowd funding campaign through Indiegogo to help with the development costs for HORSES AND HEROES. All the funds raised for will be used to pay for the development of the documentary.

If you are veteran or a family member of a vet, please contribute to this healing documentary so others may learn that there is a path to come all the way home.

The site address is at www.indiegogo.com/projects/horses-and-heroes/x/94403. There are also product placement sponsorships available and opportunities for those who wish to help more by investing in HORSES AND HEROES.

To learn more visit Cosmos Production's website at http://cproduction5.wix.com/cosmos-productions

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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the 2008 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semifinalist MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Navy thriller LT. COMMANDER MOLLIE SANDERS. Phyllis is the co-founder of the marketing consulting company Miller Mosaic LLC, which works with clients on digital marketing opportunities. Read her book-related posts at www.PhyllisZimblerMiller.com

2 comments:

Theresa Chaze said...

Phyllis,
Thank you for your help.

Mary said...

My personal friend (Danielle DeMartino on my FaceBook) once operated a ranch using horses to help children with autism and like illnesses be able to cope. It was very successful. She is the author of "From the Natural to the Supernatural." I grew up with her. Unfotunately, her ranch was owned by the governor of Colorado and he sold the property and her horses had to be given away and everybody had to move off. But the horses helped the children so much.