Sometimes solutions to life’s dilemmas come with hooves, a mane and a tail. Unbridled Change in Boones Mill makes life solutions their business, and they use horses to do it.
Founder and Executive Director Michelle Holling-Brooks parlayed her personal experience into a life calling. She recovered her emotional and physical stability on the back of a horse after experiencing viral encephalitis and spinal meningitis as a young teen. She is now the only Certified Eagala Advanced Equine Specialist in the state of Virginia, and one of only fourteen in the United States.
That made Unbridled Change the perfect place for an anonymous client to explore why she remained in an abusive marriage that included physical violence. Years of traditional psychotherapy did not result in a changed life that included healthy choices. False religious beliefs complicated the issue further. A decision to move hours away from her home in an attempt to get healthy resulted in find- ing herself in the backyard of Unbridled Change. In twelve weeks change was indeed the name of the game.
Holling-Brooks and Cami Murnane MSW, Level One Eagala Certified Mental Health Professional, were the two footed therapists that melded their skills with the unpredictable and uncanny wisdom of their four footed friends. “It didn’t take long for all my ineffective coping mechanisms to show up in the ring” said the anonymous client. “It became obvious to me that I needed new tools and new coping skills in order to make healthy choices, and the horses provided those for me.”
“There was one time that one of our four footed therapists behaved in a way that was unique for him but revealing for our client’s situation. Cami and I watched in awe as the light bulb went off in our client’s head. That moment has become the defining moment for us and cemented why we do what we do,” said Holling-Brooks.
In the fifteen months since Murnane and Holling-Brooks began this adventure they have helped more than 130 clients. Domestic violence is not the only issue that plays itself out at the facility. Fami- lies, at-risk youth and corpo- rate employees all find change while working with the horses on the ground. Virginia has legislated funding through the Wounded Warriors Program to provide assistance for war veterans as they overcome Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Their families are also assisted with the transitional nature of having a parent exiting and re- entering the home because of military deployments. “When “talk therapy” is not providing lasting change and true heal- ing, equine therapy can often break through barriers” observed Holling-Brooks.
The clients are not the only ones with differing personalities and adaptive behav- iors. An hour spent inside the stable can be very revealing. Some very human character- istics were displayed during a recent meal time. Willfulness, gentleness, curiosity and self- ishness all made an appearance while the hay was being parceled out. When one horse munched a carrot that only she received, other horses snorted their protest at the favoritism.
“A week after I ended twelve weeks of therapy, I made the right and healthy decision to remove myself permanently from the abusive marriage. My son and I joke that I was willing to listen to a horse, when I wouldn’t listen to him”. “It took me more than twelve years and a few horses to make the right decision and I’m not looking back” said the anonymous client.
More often than not new beginnings come in the most surprising ways – and certainly not just at New Years.
For more information visit www.unbridledchange.org or contact Unbridled Change, PO Box 157, Boones Mill, VA 24065 : Phone – 540-719-2171 By Christine Slade