J F Shea Therapeutic Riding Center Inc
PROGRAMS
Military and First Responder Programs
Guided by professional staff and capable volunteers, the program offers an environment of healing and fun to our military community through equine assisted learning activities. Pre-and post-deployment, US military service members face a unique set of challenges. They must develop new skill sets to address the changes in their cultural, vocational, and relational aspects of Life. Service members' psychological, emotional, and physical lives may look different as well. The human/horse connection creates a bond that is peaceful, enjoyable, and transformative. Family Reunification: Focuses on helping families reintegrate after a loved one has deployed. Military Families with Special Needs: Therapeutic services. Heroes on Horses: Mental health group therapy with horsemanship activities. Partnerships supporting first responders include OC Fire Authority US&R training to enhance firefighter safety and skill building for large animal/equine rescues and evacuations.
Every Shea Center client's progress is tracked and individual in measurement. For some, it's strength, balance and coordination. For others, it's the ability to socialize or relate to family members. Each client progress note is entered daily and measured against the goals set at the beginning of a 10-week session. Long term, over 77 percent of all Shea Center clients meet their session and annual goals.
Our First Responder program has helped teach firefighters how to handle horses in all situations.
Therapeutic Riding Programs: Physical/Occupational/Speech Therapy Services & Horsemanship/Learning Services
The Shea Center provides therapeutic horse-related programs to children and adults. Therapeutic riding is a medically recognized form of therapy utilizing the horse's movement to help improve balance, coordination, strength and cognitive functioning. Depending on individual needs and complexity of diagnosis, clients participate in individual or group therapeutic riding activities including hippotherapy services which are provided by a physical, occupational, or speech therapy professional. Over 75 different disabilities are served including cerebral palsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, brain trauma and visual and hearing impairment.
The Shea Center's long term goal is to ensure that all people who want access to our programs know about them and have access. Currently, more than 90 percent of our clients experience significant gains from their work with us. One of the ways in which we achieve this goal is to work with more than 11 universities with their physical, occupational, and speech therapy schools. We are an internship site for these medical professional degree programs and it helps to create not only awareness, but increased credibility for the work we do with the university students training here.
Mental Health Services: Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy and Personal Development-Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)
Clinical mental health services are provided by licensed health professionals. Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) sessions can focus on multiple mental health conditions and improve well-being through interactions with horses.
Immediate equine feedback fosters behavioral refection, develops problem solving, decision making and communication skill building. Our clients learn effective mindfulness techniques in an immersive and interactive learning environment.
CONTACT
J F Shea Therapeutic Riding Center Inc
26284 Oso Road
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Phone: 949-240-8441