There is a way. Our surrogate is obviously a main priority right now. Simultaneously I am focusing on finishing up my graduate degree. I have 6 classes left. Throughout my education i have thought about where i will end up. In every idea I've had, I have always seen myself doing some kind of therapy, whether it's marriage and family therapy, grief therapy or child trauma therapy.
This weekend Stephen and I went out to the farm where we board our horses. The woman who ownes the farm is also a therapist and is a friend of ours. (Patti) She does some therapy with her horses and struggles to find clients as it is something that she has just started.
All of our children have experienced some sort of trauma. Some have had a harder time than others. One thing they ALL have in common is that they each have come out of their shells, gained some self confidence and enhanced their social skills. I have seen all these things happen as a direct result of the relationship they have had with the animals we have. Even the chickens, taught Marcus a sense of empathy. Marcus was born with a diagnosis of "failure to thrive" and fetal alcohol syndrome. Because of this he is very skinny and getting him to eat had been a real challenge.
This past summer while gathering eggs in the morning, I convinced Marcus that NOT eating his scrambled eggs would hurt Mama chickens feelings because she gives us her eggs every day.
I've seen Eddie "come alive" around the horses when he'd normally rather be in his room watching cartoons.
So when I was talking to Patti this weekend, she was telling me that she is starting some drug and alcohol education groups for high school kids both at local schools and at the farm with her horses. She said she could really use my help with the groups and said that I could even be cut in on what she gets paid for it. This is huge for me since technically I dont have my license yet, but I can work under her and she can supervise me with her licensure. It'd be a great way for me to get my name out there, get more experience, and do what I really want to do ultimately; child therapy with animals.
We also recently received notification that MRDD here in Dayton has started an Equine therapy program. I don't know what kind of relationship they have with local equine organizations, but I am going to try to see if I can help Patti get some more business, in turn, more experience and more potential opportunity for me as well.
The frustrating part, for me, is two fold :
1. I have worked in this field for over 12 years, I know a lot about what i'm getting into, but despite all my experience, without that college degree that Im SO close to, I can't do what I want, unsupervised. I get the logistis of it. I have to jump through the "hoops" just like anyone else.
2. Although we have a lot of space at our house with our 1 acre, we still don't have the land to have our horses at our own property. *That* is when I will really have the ideal opportunities, as it may also coincide when I'll be able to sit for my license exam. The two things should happen around the same time.
Until then, I have this great opportunity to get my feet wet some more, and network some.
I have seen *amazing* things happen to my own children with the relationships I have helped them build with animals. Im just trying to focus on what I need to get this off the ground. Im so excited!
If you have kids who might benefit from something like this contact me for details.
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