During 2016 we will be periodically blogging about resources, like The Red Barn Equestrian Therapy, listed on the site. Each location has been personally visited and we have had an opportunity to spend time viewing the facility plus discussing the services available. Traumatic Brain Injury Resources wants to provide the visitors to the site with some first hand insight on a wide variety of the resources listed throughout the state of Alabama.The information shared with you will be our impressions of their facilities, services available and the personnel I have met at each location.
You will be always able to just click on any resource listed and contact them directly to determine if they fit your situation and current needs. However, by offering you our perspective, when conducting a resource visitation, the additional depth of knowledge may be helpful in your decision making process.
This site will continue to monitor and add new resources, whenever we are aware of their existence and encourage visitors to notify us of any service providers they feel should be included.
I recently visited The Red Barn meeting with the founder, Joy O’Neal, who spent the greater part of the day touring me through the facility while explaining the unique approach of equestrian therapy. Individuals in need of therapeutic intervention are often difficult to reach through the standard therapy programs available. The Red Barn has developed an equestrian therapy intervention program that breaks down those self imposed barriers. Here working one on one with a patient assisted by horses, allows them to introduce a series of training courses focused on improving their overall well being.
The Red Barn opened in 2009 with a profound faith in God’s Healing Hand to reach the injured through the utilization of equestrian therapy to lead them to a fuller and richer life while cooping with their afflictions. The approach here not only deals with the individual, but reaches out to encompass other family members to assist them in gaining a deeper understanding as to how they can effectively function as a total inclusive unit. This is reflected in the physical development of the 33 acres The Red Barn occupies and the staffs’ approach to every patient, analyzing his/her needs along with those of their family members.
As I toured the grounds, I was impressed with the degree of planning evidenced and the amount of development that had occurred to this property in a short period of time. It is evident that the personnel remains consistently focused on understanding the needs of patients and making the necessary adjustments to the facilities to meet those needs.
The Red Barn has a diverse staff focused on creating programs designed to enrich the training experience of the individuals participating while enhancing their growth. The full time staff’s expertise is further supplemented by a caring community of volunteers providing a wealth of knowledge and skills acquired in their professional careers.
During my visit I met with one of those individuals, Wyspr Black a CHA IRD certified instructor with a master’s from Auburn University in Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Education. Her special interest in working with individual’s suffering from traumatic brain injuries combined with her love of horses since she was eight, makes her an ideal fit for The Red Barn. Wyspr plays an instrumental role in developing and implementing equestrian therapy programs uniquely designed for Traumatic Brain Injury patients.
As evidenced in this photo, The Red Barn offers equestrian therapy and training for individuals with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities teaching them life skills, which provide a solid foundation for developing a productive life. Depicted here is the initial teaching stall within the barn where a student begins to learn about the care and handling of a horse prior to meeting with a live animal. This organization offers an opportunity for individuals of all ages to explore and expand their horizons beyond the limitations experienced from Traumatic or Spinal Cord Injury.
The Red Barn has developed the following programs to serve this community’s needs:
THE RED BARN EQUESTRIAN THERAPY – SADDLE UP – Weekly riding lessons for those with physical, cognitive or emotional disabilities and special circumstances.
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THE RED BARN EQUESTRIAN THERAPY – HORSE PLAY – Traditional day camps with art, music, outdoor education…and horses!
THE RED BARN EQUESTRIAN THERAPY – TAKE THE REINS – It is our honor and privilege to serve active or inactive military personnel. We offer a customized experience for each individual or group.
The Red Barn is a 501(c)3 agency relying on the contributions of the community to continue and expand the innovative work it does to develop effective rehabilitative programs for individuals with Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries.
Source: http://www.theredbarn.org/