RADIGAN'S PLACE
Yet many children, especially those deemed to be "at-risk" have a more difficult time developing this singular trait that will allow for their ultimate success. Adults, who have undergone traumatic events, may also need to re-learn this skill in order to live a more full and satisfying life.
At Radigan's Place, equine assisted learning programs are designed so that all children,
their families, and adults may acquire this most critical of skills thereby allowing them
to reach their full potential.
The programming at Radigan's place is based on the training of Greg Kersten, founder of EAGALA, and the invaluable inspiration for our work. His ’OK Corral series' sets forth the principles used in our programs. Additionally, all instructors have achieved certification directly from Mr. Kersten. We, at Radigan's Place, are deeply indebted to Greg for his depth
of knowledge as well as his generosity of spirit as an educator and trainer. Because of his work, we can show the many ways horses mirror human behavior and how our own
personal growth and understanding can be fostered when we work with horses.
Having been trained and certified by the founder of EAGALA means that we provide programming at its highest level. Here is what the executive director of EAGALA said about Greg Kersten:
"I have always credited you as the creator and creative genius behind EAGALA
and EAP. I have always said that to others as well as you that no one is as good
as you at EAP. You are the founder."
Lynn T., Executive Director, EAGALA
We sincerely thank the management of
Brighton Farm for their support and generosity!
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ABOUT
PHILOSOPHY
STAFF
Over hundreds of years, horses have developed and honed their survival skills. These skills, in turn, have allowed them to be adept at keeping themselves safe in an ever changing world. This natural behavior of a horse can serve as a guide to show children, as well as adults, how they can develop and maintain balance in their lives. Unfortunately, in this time of media overload and intense social and peer pressure, many people have lost this basic instinct which serves to keep them safe physically, emotionally and mentally.
At Radigan’s Place, we use horses to help show us the way to safety especially when we are most troubled or in crisis. Observing the actions, behavior and responses of horses allows us to see, instantly, how our behavior can impact others and what nonverbal messages are being sent. Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is based on philosophies and exercises which develop self awareness while teaching new coping techniques. Participants often find these sessions to be less intimidating, more inviting yet compatible with traditional therapy. In fact, because feedback from the horse is immediate, feelings and insights can be more quickly developed using EAL.
Follow up meetings with a therapist or counselor can then focus on deeper exploration of these feelings. Finally, when we come to the horse, in his environment, we benefit from an extra and unique experience quite different from therapy done in a clinical, and sometimes, threatening environment. Exercises are not done on horseback. Rather, they are ground exercises where students, guided by the instructor, can explore this new experience, learn more about themselves and develop the skills needed to overcome difficulties and obstacles in their life.
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Among the ways a child's success can be measured is by less truancy, rejection of gang involvement or drug usage, improvement in grades and a more positive attitude both at home and in school.
For adults, improvement is seen in the lessening of depression and a feeling that the person has more control over their life. These improvements, resulting in a more positive outlook for the future, are necessary in order to achieve successful relationships at home, at work or within the community.
At Radigan’s Place, Equine Assisted Learning is broken down into the five major ‘C.L.I.M.B.’© components. Each of these components forms the basis for one of the eight week sessions. Additionally, Radigan’s Place utilizes art therapy as an adjunct in both monitoring client progress and providing an outlet for expression. This combination of equine and art therapies maximizes benefits to the client while enhancing staff evaluations and programming.
CONFRONT
the uncertain and unknown. Everyone faces new, unknown challenges and situations routinely. It is how we deal with these situations that can set us up for success or disappointment. This is also true for the horse where a new circumstance elicits a strong response. Though physical, the horse's response demonstrates a safe, measured, and therapeutic way for humans to confront the more fearsome aspects of life. This appropriate response building process demonstrates a safe and positive way of perceiving and managing situations encountered on a daily basis.
LEARN
how behavior impacts others. What are we doing that is causing a negative response from others? Can we elicit a more positive response? How aware are we of our behavior? Horses provide a physical and emotional metaphor for these types of human behavioral patterns. Why and when do we push or pull? Do we do one more than the other? Most importantly, how does our behavior affect others?
IDENTIFY
individual needs and imbalances. Sometimes we are surprised at someone else's behavior when we are at our most relaxed. Other times we can be too guarded and not make the effort to understand someone better. Horses display distinctive behavior when they are either "at ease" or 'at attention". So do people. While both aspects of being ‘at attention’ or ‘at ease’ are essential, it is not necessarily in equal parts. Horses have mastered their individual balance between these two positions. So, too, must children and adults learn to identify their needs and imbalances, as well as those of the people around them. This simple, yet profound concept teaches how to be more effective communicators, family members, friends and community members.
MANAGE
responses to pressure and pain. Too often we don't even understand why something is making us uncomfortable or why we cling to the same old, non-productive responses to this discomfort. Awareness of how horses respond, both physically or emotional to either pressure and pain (physical or emotional) gives insight into our own responses. We must learn to differentiate between feeling pressure versus pain as well as learning how to respond appropriately and healthfully. Horses can teach us how to evaluate and respond to the world around us.
BODY LANGUAGE
often speaks louder than words. Horses maximize body language to convey the most basic and important messages to one another and people do the same. The difference is that people often say one thing while their attitude or body language is saying quite the opposite. Therefore, what is said is not in alignment with with what our bodies are doing. The three nonverbal zones, identified in EAL, instruct how to be more effective communicators by aligning what we are saying with our body language.
LESLIE CARNICK, President
B.A. University of Michigan, Certified Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator. As an experienced rider and trainer for over 40 years, Leslie has witnessed, first hand, the dramatic and positive and trans-formative effects horses can have on children especially those in crisis. Her conviction that Equine Assisted Learning can be of great benefit to at-risk children prompted her to develop the programming at Radigan's Place. Leslie provides the overall structure for programing, fundraising and volunteer work at Radigan's Place.
LYNN WILLIS, Vice President
B.S. Accounting and Marketing, Northeastern Illinois University, Certified Equine Facilitator. As an accomplished rider and trainer, Lynn has worked extensively introducing her love and knowledge of horses to children of all ages and backgrounds. Lynn has fiscal oversight responsibilities in attention to teaching at Radigan's Place.
JANICE STERN, Community Outreach Coordinator
An accomplished rider as well as an experienced horsewoman, Janice knows how powerful and profound a relationship with horse can be and how much we can learn from them. To arrange a meeting to learn how your organization or school can benefit from our programs, please contact Janice at: info@radigansplace.com
JACQUELINE MELISSAS, Director, Art Education Program
M.F.A., National College of Education, Evanston. Illinois. An educator for the past 30 years, Jacqueline has focused on using the medium of art to address educational and behavioral dysfunction in children. Jacqueline is in charge of developing and teaching the arts program for Radigan's Place.
TEVYN ANDERSON, Assistant Program Director
LCSW, M.A. Clinical Psychology, Roosevelt University. Tevyn is in the process of completing her PhD. She has been involved in counseling students of all ages and is instrumental in developing programming for Radigan's Place.
Proud Owner Guy
PROGRAMS
ENROLLMENT
SCHOLARSHIP
All participants will have an initial evaluation which is part of the eight week session. If it is determined that equine assisted learning is not appropriate, no charge will be made for this evaluation.
Each session is 6 weeks in duration. The individual classes involve, in addition to the initial evaluation, an emphasis on goal setting along with working with horses, art expression and a final evaluation.
Separate sessions are held for children, their parents and/or their sisters or brothers. Each class is 45-60 minutes and may include work with horses as well as art expression. Payment is due after the initial evaluation when the participant has been accepted into the program.
Sessions are limited to a maximum of 10 participants and cost $240 for each individual participant and financial assistance is available on a case by case basis.
Please complete and submit the enrollment form. You will be contacted by our office for an appointment once the form has been received and reviewed.
All sessions are held at:
Brighton Farm
19200 Edwards Road
Antioch, IL 60002
Please complete and submit this form. You will be contacted by our office for an appointment once the form has been received and reviewed.
The Scott David Carnick Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to one individual each session.
For additional details and information about this scholarship, please contact our office:
Leslie Carnick
Radigan's Place
847-280-0507
e-mail: info@radigansplace.com
WHY DONATE?
DONATE NOW!
Radigan's Place has an ambitious mission: to ensure 'at-risk' children or veterans and others dealing with post traumatic stress disorder have access to equine assisted learning where their intrinsic resilience will be nurtured and cultivated.
Our vision: help the 'at-risk' children of lake county and those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, become resilient, confident and self reliant individuals able to meet the challenges they face and emerge with the attributes that will allow them to become thriving community members. We are unique because we work with an underserved population in this area. While other facilities offer hippotherapy to the physically disabled, we are the only facility, in lake county, dedicated to helping 'at-risk' children and those with PTSD.
We have the dedicated staff, we are fortunate to have a facility to use , we have the horses to show us the way. What we don't have are the funds that would allow us to help more children, veterans and others as well as build our own facility. These are difficult times for fundraising. We are asking that you help in any way you can. Even a little means a lot to us and will help us attain our goals.
Participant donations for our services, when we are fortunate to receive them, only cover one third of the actual costs involved. In reality, most of our participants and families can't afford to pay anything. However, our commitment to our program is so strong, that we extend financial assistance whenever possible. Consequently, what donations we do receive are just that much more stretched because of those who cannot pay at all. It is because of this, along with our dream of building our own facility, that we are asking for your assistance. Your donation will allow us to ensure that all children, veterans or anyone going through a life crisis will have access to the programs offered at Radigan's place.
Please help us reach more children, veterans and others by submitting the donor information form.
In addition to cash, you may also donate the following items and receive a tax deduction*: Stocks, Bonds and/or Real estate
We will send a return letter thanking you for your tax deductible donation.
*Please consult your financial advisor for information regarding the tax deductable status of these and other items of value
PAYPAL
847-280-0507
Checks payable to:
RADIGAN'S PLACE
Attention: Donations
P.O. BOX 7972
GURNEE, IL 60031
We will send a return letter thanking you for your tax deductible donation
Help us get funding through IIC at no cost to you! Click on the logo to learn more about IIC.
We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. Whether you have experience with horses or not, we have lots of ways you can help us take care of our valued students and help Radigan's place grow. Please fill out the application and submit.
You can also download a PDF and mail or fax it back to:
Radigan's Place
P.O. Box 7972
Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone: 847-280-0507 Fax: 847-855-9514
Radigan's Place
P.O. Box 7972
Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone: 847-280-0507
Fax: 847-855-9514
Radigan's Place sessions are held at
Brighton Farm
19200 Edwards Road
Antioch, IL 60002
Copyright 2014 Radigan's Place
Radigan's Place is a registered 501(C)(3) Charitable Organization
Copyright © 2014
Radigan’s Place.
All rights reserved.
For additional information contact:
Leslie Carnick
Post office box 7972
Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone: 847-280-0507
Fax: 847-855-9514
