Pet Friends Magazine Peace Ranch Equine Assisted Therapy

Peach Ranch Offers Unique Equine Assisted Therapy Programs for our Community

Situated on 26 acres on Hooiser Valley Road in Traverse City, Peace Ranch is a rare gem in our community that many people aren't even aware of. The ranch is a faith based equine assisted therapy center committed to helping people who are struggling with psychological, emotional and physical challenges. The therapy includes hands-on activities with the horses (not riding) for all ages. The PEACE acronym stands for "Professional Equine Assisted Counseling and Education." The Ranch offers high quality horse assisted therapy services by licensed, experienced professionals and trained volunteers at a reasonable cost. All sessions are a collaboration between a licensed therapist, equine specialist or certified instructor, along with the client and the horse. Peace Ranch works with educational, government and human service organizations, but they also gets referrals from volunteers and clients who have been touched by the programs, as well as local pastors, professionals, school principals and others who have been inspired by the successful work of Peace Ranch.

Some of the programs that they offer include Walking Tall, for elementary and junior high school students who are being bullied; Standing Firm, for adult and children victims of domestic abuse; Peace Kids, for children four to twelve years old with autism; and new for 2012 is an integrated summer camp for children with and without special needs. Other programs can be found at this link.

There is also a free, weekly walk-in clinic called "Hug and Groom" on Fridays from 1 to 3 pm. This program will also be available from 1 to 3 pm on Tuesdays starting in June. The is a opportunity for people of all ages to interact with horses in a therapeutic environment. Participants are paired with volunteers to care for the horses and help with farm maintenance tasks.

Normal therapy sessions last about an hour or two, depending on the goals of the client and they are encouraged to find creative solutions to their problems by experimenting and problem solving while they at the ranch. Without even knowing it, the horses help them to resolve conflict, find healing and learn coping skills. The horses are able to offer them a non-judgemental atmosphere which is often helpful to both children and adults to deal with issues they find hard to talk about.

Within this beautiful country setting at Peace Ranch are several large fenced in areas for the horses to explore. There are about a dozen horses who are grouped by personality and don't seem to mind the two resident German Shepherds , Ella and Belle, visiting periodically. Also on the property were three Alpacas, a beautiful Silver Dapple Mini named Cocoa Puff, a few cats and some chickens. Everyone gets along and all of these animals have been used in therapy in one way or another. Like the clients who visit the ranch, the horses all have their own story. Most of the horses used for the equine assisted therapy are rescued horses who are being rehabilitated themselves through natural, relationship based training. Often, the story of how the horse got to the ranch helps the client and the horse form a special bond, as the client might have a similar history of abuse or neglect and without words, a healing can transpire from that understanding.

Peace Ranch was started in 2006 when Founder and Executive Director Jacquelyn Kaschel and her husband Paul realized that they had a very special concept that would be able to help a lot of people in the community. Jacquelyn and Paul both have advanced degrees in counseling and had adopted four special needs children. They found that there were a lot of holes in regard to the services that were needed for the kids and decided that a ranch and farm would provide the kids with a creative way to deal with past issues in their lives. They got the idea from an experiental program in New Hampshire where they met. It had an agricultural base and focused on learning from experience. Equine assisted counseling is based on that same principle. It was not until their kids were older when they realized that they had the prefect opportunity to use their talents to help people in the community.

Peace Ranch operates under the umbrella of Paraklesis Inc., a non-profit, 501(c) corporation that the Kaschel's started in 1989 and which also includes Forest Lakes Counseling, which offers professional psychological services. When Jacquelyn and Paul brought up the idea of Peace Ranch to the board of Paraklesis, it was well-received and it was approved to start researching the idea to find out the certifications, permits and other things that would be needed to get the project off the ground.

Because of the Kaschel's community involvement on school and church boards and well as participating in local events and other activities, great collaborations have come out of those relationships including working with the Children's Advocacy Center and more recently working with Goodwill to start a veteran's program called "Enduring Warrior." This program addresses re-entry and PTSD for veterans and their families. The veterans will participate in basic activities with the horses to help them work through their trauma. Animal-assisted therapy for veterans has proven to be very beneficial to those who aren't comfortable speaking about experiences to other people, but are able to find a comfort and acceptance from an animal that they care for. And as always, there are equine professionals and a licensed counselor there for the sessions as well.

People who have volunteered at Peace Ranch have had great experienced and seen amazing results from therapy sessions. They have been profoundly impacted by changes in clients which have often happened even more quickly than anticipated. There have been many amazing stories that have happened at Peace Ranch. One such story involves a client who was in adult foster care due to a past brain injury. He had a traumatic event in his past when his father died when he was there with him. Every year at the anniversary of his father's death, this poor man would get very upset, often suicidal and had to be hospitalized. His counselor brought him to Peace Ranch, where he was mentored by a teen who also had a brain injury. When the man was at the ranch on the anniversary of his dad's death, he was able to get through that day and the whole week as well. He learned coping skills and is now much more independent. Often the ranch is able to help people get over the hump and around the corner so that they are in a better place. This is a great example of that.

The Executive Committee members of Peace Ranch started out as volunteers and after about a year of helping the organization, decided that they wanted to do even more for the group. They offer specialized talents for the organization including nursing and counseling backgrounds as well as professional business and fundraising experience. Peace Ranch is also looking at adding two more board members in June. In addition, they have a professional photographer who volunteers her talents to the Ranch. All of the Board members are volunteers. They are not paid. The donations and grant money that the organization receives goes mostly to direct care of the horses (food, vet care, farrier) as well as program related expenses. It is a priority of the organization to keep the counseling costs as affordable as possible for their clients so that they can help as many people as possible. In order to help with this goal, they recently started a sponsorship program where individuals or companies can sponsor a therapy horse for a year for $100 a month. So far, they already have four sponsorships!

Another very important project they are currently working on is called "The Covering Project" which you can read about here. They are going to build an outdoor arena for their programs. Currently, everything is uncovered and they are at the mercy of the unpredictable weather conditions. As a result, sometimes important events and programs have to be cancelled. The goal for the project is $136,000 and they currently need an additional $47,119. They are planning to get the project done this year and have the 6-acre area staked out on the property. If you'd like to contribute to this project, you can make a tax-deductible donation to Peace Ranch and put "Covering Project" in the subject line and send it to Peace Ranch, 2566 Hooiser Valley Rd., Traverse City, MI 49685.

So how else can you help such a great program? Volunteers are needed to help with therapy programs, equine rehabilitation, community garden, grounds upkeep, administration and on the board and Executive Committee. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the volunteer coordinator, Jeff Goodwin at jeff.goodwin74@gmail.com.

In addition, donations are needed for the care of the horses, the Covering Project and many more things. If you have a certain area you'd like to donate your money to, such as veterans or kids, you can earmark your donations for that purpose. In-kind donations are also appreciated. The items needed include hay, helmets, saddles, leads, brushes and other equipment that is new or in gently-used. Peace Ranch has a commitment to stewardship of the support the community gives them. The donations received ensure that the services offered to the community are as affordable as possible. Their vision of being a true "community" organization is being realized through the Board members, volunteers, supporters, clients and everyone else who has been touched by this great organization.

Contact Information:
Peace Ranch
2566 Hoosier Valley Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49685
ph: (231) 499-4736
peaceranchtc@gmail.com
http://peaceranchtc.com


	Peach Ranch Offers Unique Equine Assisted Therapy Programs for our Community Situated on 26 acres on Hooiser Valley Road in Traverse City, Peace Ranch is a rare gem in our community that many people aren't even aware of. The ranch is a faith based equine assisted therapy center committed to helping people who are struggling with psychological, emotional and physical challenges. The therapy includes hands-on activities with the horses (not riding) for all ages. The PEACE acronym stands for "Professional Equine Assisted Counseling and Education." The Ranch offers high quality horse assisted therapy services by licensed, experienced professionals and trained volunteers at a reasonable cost. All sessions are a collaboration between a licensed therapist, equine specialist or certified instructor, along with the client and the horse. Peace Ranch works with educational, government and human service organizations, but they also gets referrals from volunteers and clients who have been touched by the programs, as well as local pastors, professionals, school principals and others who have been inspired by the successful work of Peace Ranch. Some of the programs that they offer include Walking Tall, for elementary and junior high school students who are being bullied; Standing Firm, for adult and children victims of domestic abuse; Peace Kids, for children four to twelve years old with autism; and new for 2012 is an integrated summer camp for children with and without special needs. Other programs can be found at this link. There is also a free, weekly walk-in clinic called "Hug and Groom" on Fridays from 1 to 3 pm. This program will also be available from 1 to 3 pm on Tuesdays starting in June. The is a opportunity for people of all ages to interact with horses in a therapeutic environment. Participants are paired with volunteers to care for the horses and help with farm maintenance tasks. Normal therapy sessions last about an hour or two, depending on the goals of the client and they are encouraged to find creative solutions to their problems by experimenting and problem solving while they at the ranch. Without even knowing it, the horses help them to resolve conflict, find healing and learn coping skills. The horses are able to offer them a non-judgemental atmosphere which is often helpful to both children and adults to deal with issues they find hard to talk about. Within this beautiful country setting at Peace Ranch are several large fenced in areas for the horses to explore. There are about a dozen horses who are grouped by personality and don't seem to mind the two resident German Shepherds , Ella and Belle, visiting periodically. Also on the property were three Alpacas, a beautiful Silver Dapple Mini named Cocoa Puff, a few cats and some chickens. Everyone gets along and all of these animals have been used in therapy in one way or another. Like the clients who visit the ranch, the horses all have their own story. Most of the horses used for the equine assisted therapy are rescued horses who are being rehabilitated themselves through natural, relationship based training. Often, the story of how the horse got to the ranch helps the client and the horse form a special bond, as the client might have a similar history of abuse or neglect and without words, a healing can transpire from that understanding. Peace Ranch was started in 2006 when Founder and Executive Director Jacquelyn Kaschel and her husband Paul realized that they had a very special concept that would be able to help a lot of people in the community. Jacquelyn and Paul both have advanced degrees in counseling and had adopted four special needs children. They found that there were a lot of holes in regard to the services that were needed for the kids and decided that a ranch and farm would provide the kids with a creative way to deal with past issues in their lives. They got the idea from an experiental program in New Hampshire where they met. It had an agricultural base and focused on learning from experience. Equine assisted counseling is based on that same principle. It was not until their kids were older when they realized that they had the prefect opportunity to use their talents to help people in the community. Peace Ranch operates under the umbrella of Paraklesis Inc., a non-profit, 501(c) corporation that the Kaschel's started in 1989 and which also includes Forest Lakes Counseling, which offers professional psychological services. When Jacquelyn and Paul brought up the idea of Peace Ranch to the board of Paraklesis, it was well-received and it was approved to start researching the idea to find out the certifications, permits and other things that would be needed to get the project off the ground. Because of the Kaschel's community involvement on school and church boards and well as participating in local events and other activities, great collaborations have come out of those relationships including working with the Children's Advocacy Center and more recently working with Goodwill to start a veteran's program called "Enduring Warrior." This program addresses re-entry and PTSD for veterans and their families. The veterans will participate in basic activities with the horses to help them work through their trauma. Animal-assisted therapy for veterans has proven to be very beneficial to those who aren't comfortable speaking about experiences to other people, but are able to find a comfort and acceptance from an animal that they care for. And as always, there are equine professionals and a licensed counselor there for the sessions as well. People who have volunteered at Peace Ranch have had great experienced and seen amazing results from therapy sessions. They have been profoundly impacted by changes in clients which have often happened even more quickly than anticipated. There have been many amazing stories that have happened at Peace Ranch. One such story involves a client who was in adult foster care due to a past brain injury. He had a traumatic event in his past when his father died when he was there with him. Every year at the anniversary of his father's death, this poor man would get very upset, often suicidal and had to be hospitalized. His counselor brought him to Peace Ranch, where he was mentored by a teen who also had a brain injury. When the man was at the ranch on the anniversary of his dad's death, he was able to get through that day and the whole week as well. He learned coping skills and is now much more independent. Often the ranch is able to help people get over the hump and around the corner so that they are in a better place. This is a great example of that. The Executive Committee members of Peace Ranch started out as volunteers and after about a year of helping the organization, decided that they wanted to do even more for the group. They offer specialized talents for the organization including nursing and counseling backgrounds as well as professional business and fundraising experience. Peace Ranch is also looking at adding two more board members in June. In addition, they have a professional photographer who volunteers her talents to the Ranch. All of the Board members are volunteers. They are not paid. The donations and grant money that the organization receives goes mostly to direct care of the horses (food, vet care, farrier) as well as program related expenses. It is a priority of the organization to keep the counseling costs as affordable as possible for their clients so that they can help as many people as possible. In order to help with this goal, they recently started a sponsorship program where individuals or companies can sponsor a therapy horse for a year for $100 a month. So far, they already have four sponsorships! Another very important project they are currently working on is called "The Covering Project" which you can read about here. They are going to build an outdoor arena for their programs. Currently, everything is uncovered and they are at the mercy of the unpredictable weather conditions. As a result, sometimes important events and programs have to be cancelled. The goal for the project is $136,000 and they currently need an additional $47,119. They are planning to get the project done this year and have the 6-acre area staked out on the property. If you'd like to contribute to this project, you can make a tax-deductible donation to Peace Ranch and put "Covering Project" in the subject line and send it to Peace Ranch, 2566 Hooiser Valley Rd., Traverse City, MI 49685. So how else can you help such a great program? Volunteers are needed to help with therapy programs, equine rehabilitation, community garden, grounds upkeep, administration and on the board and Executive Committee. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the volunteer coordinator, Jeff Goodwin at jeff.goodwin74@gmail.com. In addition, donations are needed for the care of the horses, the Covering Project and many more things. If you have a certain area you'd like to donate your money to, such as veterans or kids, you can earmark your donations for that purpose. In-kind donations are also appreciated. The items needed include hay, helmets, saddles, leads, brushes and other equipment that is new or in gently-used. Peace Ranch has a commitment to stewardship of the support the community gives them. The donations received ensure that the services offered to the community are as affordable as possible. Their vision of being a true "community" organization is being realized through the Board members, volunteers, supporters, clients and everyone else who has been touched by this great organization. Contact Information: Peace Ranch 2566 Hoosier Valley Rd. Traverse City, MI 49685 ph: (231) 499-4736 peaceranchtc@gmail.com http://peaceranchtc.com

			Knight came from a rescue group in Kentucky. His elderly owner could no longer take care of him.


			Ella takes a break from the hard work of horse supervising.

			Benevelo del Sol y Sombra - Ben is a performance bred Paso Fino gelding who had the equivalent of a horsey nervous breakdown a few years ago and ended up at Peace Ranch. He spent a full year in rehab just being used as a trail horse and last year made his debut in our equine assisted learning programs. He is one of the first horses who came to Peace Ranch and is making more progress each year.