Making Strides Recreation Therapy
Making Strides Recreation Therapy is a systematic process that utilizes equine-assisted recreation interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery, and overall well-being. The program assists and supports community resources to provide recreation therapy and equine-assisted learning activities.
Making Strides Recreation Therapy supports participants to enhance self-awareness, self-concept, and the development of trusting nonjudgmental and reciprocal relationships to improve or maintain physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual functioning to facilitate full participation in life. Program activities help participants identify and improve habits, behavior, actions and reactions to enhance personal growth. Interacting with horses provides individuals the opportunity to gain a heightened sense of self-awareness, and learning how to work with a large and powerful animal helps to improve appropriate communication, increase emotional awareness, demonstrate self-discipline, and increase trust.
Sessions are conducted by a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and Southern Reins' professional staff certified as a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning for the unmounted activities, or a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor for unmounted and mounted activities. The program serves individuals 10 years of age or older.
Making Strides Recreation Therapy is offered in 1 hour group sessions weekly. The program offers two tracks: A 6-week unmounted session, and an 8-week unmounted and mounted combination session. Participant fees are $330 for a 6-week unmounted session and $510 for an 8-week unmounted/mounted session. Individuals are required to complete a Participant Application Package to participate in Making Strides Recreation Therapy.
For more information, contact Sara Zurenko, Program Director: Sara.Zurenko@southernreins.org.
Southern Reins Center for Equine Therapy is a Premier Accredited Center by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.). PATH Intl. premier accreditation assists the public in selecting quality centers that deliver safe equestrian services and certifies that a member organization has achieved industry standards for equine-assisted services for individuals with special needs. Southern Reins is the only Premier Accredited Center in the greater Memphis area and is one of only three in the state of Tennessee, joining the top tier of centers across the country who have received premier accredited status.