By Monique Van Houten, MS, LPC-Associate Supervised by Supervised by Joye Jones, LPC-Supervisor How Do Emotional Support Animals Help? I have heard time and time again from clients, friends, and family that animals are “supportive” and they “make me feel better”. I have often wondered why this is, finding myself thinking that there has to be more to it than … Read More
Human Trafficking and Social Media, Tips for Social Media Safety
The Importance of Social Media and Internet Safety for Kids In the last few decades, social media has made itself a regular part of life for many people. There are many different platforms catered to different purposes, interests and generations. Whether your interests are video games, memes, politics or even genuinely stoked goats (yes, that is a real Facebook page), … Read More
Fight Sex Trafficking with 5 SIMPLE Strategies
How To Combat Sex Trafficking Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, including sexual slavery. Trafficking victims are women, men, boys and girls. At Ranch Hands Rescue, we believe there are five key ways you can help combat this form of modern day slavery and fight sex trafficking. 1. Be Aware of the Signs The first … Read More
Adapting to Change & Healing from Trauma
Why Humans Are So Good At Adapting To Change Adaptive: to make fit (as for a new use) often by modification Maladaptive: marked by poor or inadequate ability to modify to fit Humans are the most successful mammals on the planet BECAUSE we are the best at adaptation. We can adapt to fit nearly any climate, circumstance, or challenge. This … Read More
Congruence and Incongruence – How to Believe You’re Good Enough
Carl Rogers on Congruence “We cannot change, we cannot move away from what we are, until we thoroughly accept what we are. Then change seems to come about almost unnoticed” (Carl R. Rogers, On Becoming a Person). Carl Rogers referred to congruence as a compatible match between an individual’s ideal sense of self and their actual experience of their sense … Read More
Caring for the Caregivers
American healthcare providers are facing an unprecedented level of stress and trauma as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. In some areas of the country, their exposure to traumatic events is equivalent to a war zone hospital (TIME, 2020). When overwhelming stress is paired with inadequate follow-up care, the result is often Post Traumatic Stress. That is the aftermath we … Read More
Release of Emotional Tension and Anxiety
Release Tension Tension. It is a state of being that requires almost no explanation to be understood. Most animals are capable of recognizing tension even across species. It can be a temporary state, or it can be one’s modus operandi. We feel it every day to variable degrees. Usually, a mammal will return to a state of non-tension (maybe even … Read More
Letter From Our Founder
In 2008, I formulated a mission: to bring together abused and neglected animals with abused and neglected people. Through my own experience with rescued animals, I realized their therapeutic impact on our mental health. In 2009, Ranch Hands Rescue became a 501(c)(3) public charity. Today, our fully licensed professional counselors specialize in trauma-focused therapy, Equine and Animal Assisted Counseling (EAAC), … Read More
Roo’s New Years Resolution
Emotional Support Dog Needs Three Prosthetics to Walk (Argyle, TX, December 26, 2018) – Roo, a one-year-old Basenji mix, has one goal for 2019 – to run and play like other dogs. Born with congenital deformities in three of her legs, Roo cannot walk normally. The once-abandoned puppy was rescued from the Lewisville Animal Shelter and is now an emotional … Read More
Focusing on Help for Abused Men and Boys
Male Sex Trafficking & Its Effects With years of experience helping sex trafficking victims process their emotional trauma, RHR is developing a plan to change the severe lack of aid for young boys trapped in the sex trafficking industry or male sexual assault victims. Half of sex trafficking victims are male, but to add to boys’ nearly invisible victimhood, “only … Read More