Animal-Assisted stress reduction Program
Our equine assisted growth and learning (eagala) team, from left to right: Chelsea Menke, Equine Specialist, Rachael Long, EAP provider, Vanessa Snodgrass, Equine Specialist, Scott Tilley, Equine Specialist and TRAK Founder/Executive Director, Ayla Nolen, EAP Provider, Jazz Dolan, MA, EAP Provider
You're a leader.
You've been there, in control, in difficult--even disturbing circumstances when your community needed you. But the daily grind of internalizing stressful experiences takes its toll on you, physically, emotionally, and on your relationships as well.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to coping with the traumatic events that are inevitable as a professional on the front lines of community service. Whether you are a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, ER or trauma physician, nurse, or mental health provider serving these groups, there are disturbing experiences emblazoned in your mind. Maybe they flash back. Maybe they keep you awake at night, or cause you to retreat emotionally. Your experience as unique as you are and each event you've been through.
You don't have to face this alone.
While it can be challenging to trust another human help to find solutions, horses are powerful, transformative partners for emotional and behavioral experiential learning. Horses are prey animals, and they see through the "game face" or facade people put on, right into the soul. If you're nervous, they'll be nervous wondering why you're nervous. If you're calm and content, they'll come close. Because equine assisted programs are experiential in nature, each person who goes through the program leaves with their own best solution, using the horse as a mirror to see themselves.
TRAK's Heroes First Program is designed to help first responders in an individual or group-based setting, focusing on all aspects of behavioral and emotional well being in response the daily demands of their profession. It's all outdoors, in a tranquil, private setting...nothing like traditional office-based counseling, support groups or "therapy".
This program was developed to incorporate stress reduction and improve quality of life with hands on, experiential work with animals. This program has a goal to help people achieve personal growth to help strengthen interpersonal relationships, decrease anxiety, increase resilience and feelings of overall well-being. The program is goal-based and can be tailored to individual needs. This program is primarily ground-based, but can in some cases progress to incorporate mounted riding, depending on personal goals.
The primary objective is to relax in a beautiful outdoor setting, while learning new, healthy coping skills and relieve stress. These skills help participants learn to cope with a myriad of challenges including anger, anxiety, and burnout. Our participants gain the ability to trust and earn trust, experience peer/community support, improve communication and relationships, and much more.
The 90-minute sessions support an array positive skills, behaviors and outcomes, such as:
TRAK supports equine-assisted learning and psychotherapy in the eagala model. The first step in enrolling in the program is to make an introductory appointment to discuss goals and objectives with our equine assisted experiential learning staff. Your information is 100% confidential and will never be shared without your written permission.
Location: TRAK's sister ranch facility at Swan/River Rd.
Fall Groups forming now! Four spaces remain. email us for info or call (520) 909-4187 to discuss the program with our qualified facilitators.
Private sessions available as well, please contact us for an appointment that suits your schedule.
We welcome administrators, unions, departments, or the fraternal order of police to inquire about bringing individuals or groups for this program, and we tailor each program specifically to meet your goals. Retired first responders are welcome!
You've been there, in control, in difficult--even disturbing circumstances when your community needed you. But the daily grind of internalizing stressful experiences takes its toll on you, physically, emotionally, and on your relationships as well.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to coping with the traumatic events that are inevitable as a professional on the front lines of community service. Whether you are a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, ER or trauma physician, nurse, or mental health provider serving these groups, there are disturbing experiences emblazoned in your mind. Maybe they flash back. Maybe they keep you awake at night, or cause you to retreat emotionally. Your experience as unique as you are and each event you've been through.
You don't have to face this alone.
While it can be challenging to trust another human help to find solutions, horses are powerful, transformative partners for emotional and behavioral experiential learning. Horses are prey animals, and they see through the "game face" or facade people put on, right into the soul. If you're nervous, they'll be nervous wondering why you're nervous. If you're calm and content, they'll come close. Because equine assisted programs are experiential in nature, each person who goes through the program leaves with their own best solution, using the horse as a mirror to see themselves.
TRAK's Heroes First Program is designed to help first responders in an individual or group-based setting, focusing on all aspects of behavioral and emotional well being in response the daily demands of their profession. It's all outdoors, in a tranquil, private setting...nothing like traditional office-based counseling, support groups or "therapy".
This program was developed to incorporate stress reduction and improve quality of life with hands on, experiential work with animals. This program has a goal to help people achieve personal growth to help strengthen interpersonal relationships, decrease anxiety, increase resilience and feelings of overall well-being. The program is goal-based and can be tailored to individual needs. This program is primarily ground-based, but can in some cases progress to incorporate mounted riding, depending on personal goals.
The primary objective is to relax in a beautiful outdoor setting, while learning new, healthy coping skills and relieve stress. These skills help participants learn to cope with a myriad of challenges including anger, anxiety, and burnout. Our participants gain the ability to trust and earn trust, experience peer/community support, improve communication and relationships, and much more.
The 90-minute sessions support an array positive skills, behaviors and outcomes, such as:
- Increasing resilience
- Improved communication
- Creative thinking/problem solving
- Coping skills
- Stress Reduction
- Preventing burnout
- Promotes camaraderie (horses are herd animals, like the brotherhood/sisterhood in the helping professions)
TRAK supports equine-assisted learning and psychotherapy in the eagala model. The first step in enrolling in the program is to make an introductory appointment to discuss goals and objectives with our equine assisted experiential learning staff. Your information is 100% confidential and will never be shared without your written permission.
Location: TRAK's sister ranch facility at Swan/River Rd.
Fall Groups forming now! Four spaces remain. email us for info or call (520) 909-4187 to discuss the program with our qualified facilitators.
Private sessions available as well, please contact us for an appointment that suits your schedule.
We welcome administrators, unions, departments, or the fraternal order of police to inquire about bringing individuals or groups for this program, and we tailor each program specifically to meet your goals. Retired first responders are welcome!
Funding for the Heroes First Program was generously provided by the Harold & Margot Hastings Fund, the Reuling Family Native American Programs Fund, and through a partnership with the Connie Hillman Family Foundation held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. We honor and celebrate these donors who have chosen to fund this project through the CORE Grant mechanism. 6/1/2020-5/31/2021.
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TRAK is a grateful 2020 beneficiary of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona's CORE operating support! The award will fund the Heroes First Program for one year. |
