Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Weir: Ranch Hands Rescue — the therapeutic power of working with animals

How many people know about the marvelous counseling services administered by an organization called Ranch Hands Rescue (RHR)? In 2008, Bob Williams, now the CEO of RHR Counseling Center and Animal Sanctuary, began formulating a mission to bring together abused and neglected animals with abused and neglected people. In 2009, Ranch Hands Rescue became a 501(c)(3) public charity. Today, their fully licensed professional counselors specialize in trauma-focused therapy, Equine and Animal Assisted Counseling (EAAC), and other therapeutic modalities to give their clients the experience of relating their personal pain to that of RHR’s healing animals. In the video, Mr. Williams talks about the many services provided by RHR, including treatment for those traumatized by sex-trafficking.

The following is from www.ranchhandsrescue.org

“Ranch Hands Rescue (RHR) fills a special niche in mental health counseling services in that we specialize in treating the more complex trauma cases, such as victims of severe and repetitive abuse and people not making progress in their current treatment programs. We heal critical care animals, then give them a purpose in our counseling program as they participate in Equine and Animal Assisted Counseling (EAAC) alongside specifically selected Licensed Professionals.

“RHR is the first organization in the world to partner rescued farm animals that have experienced abuse and neglect with clients in deep psychotherapy counseling sessions. We provide unique, trauma-informed counseling to people with a wide range of mental health issues, including domestic/sexual abuse, sex-trafficking, trauma, substance abuse, anger management, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, grief, loss, relationship problems, as well as hope for veterans and their families dealing with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), and more.

“The mission of RHR is to provide an animal sanctuary and a counseling center for people, founded on hope and healing, and made available to all regardless of ability to pay. We reach out with helping hearts to change our world by recognizing the inherent worth of every living being in our community. Working with our animal partners and Licensed Professional Counselors, we help each child, each adult, and each family experience transformative change available through trauma-informed animal assisted psychotherapy. We believe that victims, especially children, are innocent, and it’s our moral obligation to help provide them with a way to heal from these terrible traumas. The segment of the population we serve desperately needs our help. We are honored that our program serves the entire Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex and beyond.”

Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is a former NYPD officer, long-time Flower Mound resident and former local newspaper editor.

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