Horses Healing Hearts Expands Board of Directors
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Horses Healing Hearts Expands Board of Directors was created by
Horses Healing Hearts Expands Board of Directors and Therapy Team
Michael Connors Esq. Brings Legal Expertise and Claudette Connors Shares her Passion for Equine Assisted Therapy
WELLINGTON, Florida – July 14, 2015 – Horses Healing Hearts (HHH) has further expanded the organization to include dynamic husband and wife team, Claudette and Michael Connors. Michael joins as the newest member of the HHH Board of Directors, while Claudette assumes the role of certified equine specialist working with equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) clients during their weekly sessions. Together the Connors will bring to the organization a wealth of professional knowledge, a sound understanding of the benefits of equine assisted therapy and a deep passion for the HHH mission.
HHH Founder and Executive Director Liz Olszewski shared her enthusiasm about the appointments, noting, “I’m thrilled to have Michael and Claudette working with our team. Their many contributions are already making a positive impact on the lives of the children we serve through HHH.”
Michael W. Connors is board certified by the Florida Bar as a specialist in the field of Elder Law. He earned his law degree from the University of Florida in 1986. Concurrent with his law degree, he received a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning.
His North Palm Beach practice focuses on trusts, estate planning and administration; long-term care planning; asset protection: probate, guardianship and incapacity litigation; guardianship administration for minors and adults and special needs trusts planning and administration for the elderly and disabled. A dedicated volunteer, Mr. Connors has provided his time and expertise to many community groups, including the Area Agency on Aging, the Alzheimer’s Community Care Association, and the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. He is immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of Hospice of Palm Beach County, Inc.
In addition to volunteering for the Children’s program, Claudette Connors is the newest member of HHH’s equine assisted therapy team. Claudette became an EAGALA certified equine specialist in 2013, and has continued her passion for working with horses by facilitating weekly equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) sessions as an HHH team member. During EAP sessions Claudette is responsible for ensuring the safety of the horse, the treatment team and the clients. She also researches and offers group activity designs in her capacity as a co-facilitator to the Mental Health Specialist.
Claudette rescued and rehabilitated two Thoroughbreds and in becoming EAGALA certified, she found great synergy in their sound clinical theories and pleasure in using horses in a way that allows them to be themselves. Since her initial certification and membership in 2013, she has attended numerous EAP workshops to expand her professional knowledge. In addition to her work at HHH, Claudette is the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Michael W. Connors, P.A. law firm in North Palm Beach.
In 2013, HHH launched a social enterprise effort to serve as a revenue stream for their Children’s Prevention Education Non-Profit. “We chose the EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) model because it is evidence-based, and they are the world leader in EAP and used in 49 countries,” said Rhonda Fritzshall, Director of EAP Programs. EAGALA therapy allows HHH to offer the equine therapy to substance abuse treatment center clients which yields revenue to balance the charity’s seasonal funding cycle, helping HHH to further increase fiscal self-sufficiency.
About Horses Healing Hearts
Horse Healing Hearts is a unique preventative education and equine assisted therapy program for children living with alcoholism and addiction. We are a 501c3 charitable organization that serves children each week from more than 50 families in Palm Beach County.
Since 2009 HHH has completed more than 900 sessions through 1,800 contact hours with children of alcoholics and addicts age 6-18 who meet weekly for two hour prevention education sessions that consist of peer-to-peer counseling overseen by a certified Prevention / Mental Health Specialist. Our curriculum is “A Children’s Program Kit” – an evidence based program written and disseminated by NACoA (National Association for Children of Alcoholics and the US Department of Health and Human Services.) For more information please visit www.hhhusa.org .
Michael Connors Esq. Brings Legal Expertise and Claudette Connors Shares her Passion for Equine Assisted Therapy
WELLINGTON, Florida – July 14, 2015 – Horses Healing Hearts (HHH) has further expanded the organization to include dynamic husband and wife team, Claudette and Michael Connors. Michael joins as the newest member of the HHH Board of Directors, while Claudette assumes the role of certified equine specialist working with equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) clients during their weekly sessions. Together the Connors will bring to the organization a wealth of professional knowledge, a sound understanding of the benefits of equine assisted therapy and a deep passion for the HHH mission.
HHH Founder and Executive Director Liz Olszewski shared her enthusiasm about the appointments, noting, “I’m thrilled to have Michael and Claudette working with our team. Their many contributions are already making a positive impact on the lives of the children we serve through HHH.”
Michael W. Connors is board certified by the Florida Bar as a specialist in the field of Elder Law. He earned his law degree from the University of Florida in 1986. Concurrent with his law degree, he received a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning.
His North Palm Beach practice focuses on trusts, estate planning and administration; long-term care planning; asset protection: probate, guardianship and incapacity litigation; guardianship administration for minors and adults and special needs trusts planning and administration for the elderly and disabled. A dedicated volunteer, Mr. Connors has provided his time and expertise to many community groups, including the Area Agency on Aging, the Alzheimer’s Community Care Association, and the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. He is immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of Hospice of Palm Beach County, Inc.
In addition to volunteering for the Children’s program, Claudette Connors is the newest member of HHH’s equine assisted therapy team. Claudette became an EAGALA certified equine specialist in 2013, and has continued her passion for working with horses by facilitating weekly equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) sessions as an HHH team member. During EAP sessions Claudette is responsible for ensuring the safety of the horse, the treatment team and the clients. She also researches and offers group activity designs in her capacity as a co-facilitator to the Mental Health Specialist.
Claudette rescued and rehabilitated two Thoroughbreds and in becoming EAGALA certified, she found great synergy in their sound clinical theories and pleasure in using horses in a way that allows them to be themselves. Since her initial certification and membership in 2013, she has attended numerous EAP workshops to expand her professional knowledge. In addition to her work at HHH, Claudette is the Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Michael W. Connors, P.A. law firm in North Palm Beach.
In 2013, HHH launched a social enterprise effort to serve as a revenue stream for their Children’s Prevention Education Non-Profit. “We chose the EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) model because it is evidence-based, and they are the world leader in EAP and used in 49 countries,” said Rhonda Fritzshall, Director of EAP Programs. EAGALA therapy allows HHH to offer the equine therapy to substance abuse treatment center clients which yields revenue to balance the charity’s seasonal funding cycle, helping HHH to further increase fiscal self-sufficiency.
About Horses Healing Hearts
Horse Healing Hearts is a unique preventative education and equine assisted therapy program for children living with alcoholism and addiction. We are a 501c3 charitable organization that serves children each week from more than 50 families in Palm Beach County.
Since 2009 HHH has completed more than 900 sessions through 1,800 contact hours with children of alcoholics and addicts age 6-18 who meet weekly for two hour prevention education sessions that consist of peer-to-peer counseling overseen by a certified Prevention / Mental Health Specialist. Our curriculum is “A Children’s Program Kit” – an evidence based program written and disseminated by NACoA (National Association for Children of Alcoholics and the US Department of Health and Human Services.) For more information please visit www.hhhusa.org .
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