I learned of ESP through my Program Manager. She had heard of the Centre through a Mental Health Service and suggested we ‘give it a go’ for the particular client we now have participating.
My client (11-year-old female) has a very complex family life that involves trauma attachment. Over the past 2 years her school attendance was part time and her actual attendance was very sporadic. She has been engaged with our program (Youth Support Services) for almost 12 months. This saw a change in fewer suspensions from school and some improvement in attendance at school. We began the Equine Supported Program in mid-November 2018. The program has offered structure, sensitivity, warmth and care which the client has identified through her interactions with ESP. The client has been able to utilise skills learned through our program at the equine centre and has developed a very positive relationship with Michelle Roockley (Manager ESP).
This year has already seen the results of our clients change in behaviour and attendance at school. Our client opted to return this year full time and has missed one day so far and this was due to sleeping in by accident. I met with key staff at the school in a care meeting for the client recently and they were unanimous in acknowledging the positive changes attributing a lot of it to ESP. I think this speaks volumes of what ESP has done for our client and the positive impact achieved.
I would definitely recommend ESP to other organisations and individuals. I am now in a position to describe the Centre and the positive experiences our client has received.
I have been attending ESP with Michelle Roockley for 6 weeks now, and am the sole parent of two industrious little boys under 5 years. We all recently escaped long term family violence, and as a result, the trauma has manifested to a lost, angry, bewildered, disunited and disoriented little family of three. I was referred to ESP by a colleague who was watching me struggle as a Mother, employee, friend, woman and colleague and who was frantic to see me find something that would aid in mending my relationships with myself, my family and my world around me. I wish to share a very recent and very sacred experience that I had with Michelle, and with my littlest boy in particular. On this specific day, we had decided to visit the Secret Garden in silence, as a grounding exercise. That day my littlest boy was out of sorts. He was restless, frisky, boisterous and wilful. I could feel it as it was palpable, and so could the horses. The horses were in tune with his dysregulated state, and started running, and bucking and what seemed to me (inexperienced with horses), a little edgy. Of course, we could not get to that secret garden with the horses displaying such powerful body language, and so this eventually lead to the idea of feeding the horses, an experience they have had once in the past. The exercise began quite composed, and then my littlest boy began intensifying and started to throw the horse feed around the shed with hostility. Michelle was firm and fair with him, and was able to continue with the feeding exercise. I honestly don’t remember how we got to this point, but I was holding a wheelbarrow of horse feed so that it would not tip. I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I was watching on as my littlest boy was throwing stones at Michelle, whipping her with sticks, and in absolute distress. He was suffering, and showing Michelle how much he was in agony. He knew she was safe. I looked on, as Michelle told him she loved him and cared for him, and reassured him with so much warmth and connection. She was in that moment with him. Not trying to fix a problem, or come up with a strategy to end the interaction, or anything else. She was present with him. It progressed to the point where Michelle had redirected my little boy to another activity, one which demonstrated his strengths and interests. Michelle came up to me after a little bit while I still stood holding the wheelbarrow and asked me “Are you okay?” I started reflecting back to her the experience of the interaction between herself and my little boy... Michelle then said “I mean, with the wheelbarrow”. I had an instant flush of embarrassment, I was still in my own head and not in the moment, nor grounded at all. This was such a gentle challenge on her behalf, but was on such a large scale for me personally. The session with Michelle that day ended with us all cleaning up the shed together and Michelle sharing that her favourite part of the session was her time with my little boy.
Two days later at home, my little boy presented to me in a similar fashion as to what he had with Michelle that day. This is not an infrequent occurrence, but was handled so much more lovingly and tenderly, something he deserves. I want to thank Michelle, with everything I have, because in that moment I truly connected with my little boy. For the first time since our escape from family violence, I saw my Child’s pain. It was real, it was heartbreaking, and I sat with him in it and we felt it together. I showed him he was loved, safe and understood. I showed him I was unwavering and present. He fell asleep on me, and we are that much closer now. I have let my own trauma from family violence engulf me, which has suffocated my capacity to attend to my children’s suffering and needs. On occasion this still happens, but is becoming less frequent with the support from Michelle and the ESP program. Being present to my relationships with Michelle, the horses, my children, myself and the entire group dynamic is a steep learning curve for me, and there is nowhere to hide. My family needs this challenge and joy and shared experience. I am so grateful to be part of this program, and support any opportunity for ESP to grow and evolve.
Thank you.
It has literally been life changing, I was very alone in this world, when referred and very depressed. Attending is a major part of the week for me still 3yrs later.
Uniquely powerful to be with animals and nature guided by a gentle caring soul.
It’s a beautiful program I have completed this with my own experience of EAP, but have watched a client I bring to each session develop in confidence, maturity and feels safe and valued every session.
It is a life affirming experience, allowing time & space for internal and external reflection and experiences on many levels Absolutely love the ESP program, it was significantly beneficial for my clients, and for my own overall wellbeing just by being present for the client's sessions. Michelle has been an incredible mentor and teacher to these young people.
I am a parent of a young adult experiencing ESP for the first time - it made such a difference to my child's life. Michelle was wonderful! Covid ruined it unfortunately and things had to change which didn't really suit my daughter. But the times we were there were great, thank you xx
So nourishing
Would recommend it for others.
I attended during a time of great personal turbulence and through time spent I realised the only change began with me.
I really enjoyed the quiet power of this experience. It was unexpected that it was so calming and centring …
I feel more connected, in tune, empathic and trusting …
Provides a powerful opportunity to subtly delve deep – was gently nurturing. I learnt that horses are caring, understanding and have healing qualities …
Much more powerful than I would have expected – Very centring. Thank you ...
This has provided ‘hope’ for me ...
I felt a calm acceptance – good grounding experience – very grateful to horses for accepting me ...
I’m more comfortable about taking a step back and re-adjusting expectations and I’m curious to learn more ...
Wonderful, energising and grounding – the whole experience and how it was facilitated was excellent ...
When Prince put his head on my solar plexus area – I felt a deep connection and just knew I could cope ...
We loved it here so much and the food was amazing – we want to have our work Christmas Celebration here!
The equine experience worked with our group because the focus was on the horses, not on us …
I love being with the horses because I can be myself around them ...
It was in my capacity as a principal of a hard to staff school with many students affected by trauma that I first came across Michelle’s programme. It was in its early stages and we worked together to unite troubled students with troubled horses. The result of that combination was more than amazing and it developed into a very healthy programme for troubled youth offering them an insight to what they had to offer rather than what they thought they deserved. Students who previously had no regard for others or them selves began to grow more in tune with what their lives meant. An added bonus was a modification in their behaviours at school and a desire to to help in the classroom when previously they were resistive to any form of behaviour management. I’m not saying the turn around was instant but their work with the horses made it easier for the staff to work with them. The students also took great pride in showing me their new found skills. My only regret was that we could not place more students into the programme. Later I returned to my original job as a Support Teacher, not only for students with a trauma background but also those with disabilities and again I turned to Michelle’s programme to support students with physical and intellectual disabilities as well as Autism. Once again I witnessed the profound effect this programme has on disadvantaged youth, giving them an insight into their own worth and offering them alternatives to their current lives and ways of thinking about themselves.
Unfortunately my budget was very restricted and excursions to Michelle’s farm became too prohibitive and we had to narrow down the number of students who could access it on a regular basis, this was something I was not happy about but there is only so much funding for these students that can be accessed. We’re I a philanthropist I would have no hesitation to support Healthy Activities with Horses and Humans in the modality of EAL (Equine Assisted Learning). I have seen how it has the ability to make a change to lives and enrich students who would otherwise feel that the world has very little to offer them. I have no hesitation in recommending this programme to you and hope that you are able to support Michelle to support disadvantaged youth.
