94: Do Animals Hold the Key to Healing? Ellie Laks on the Gentle Barn and Reciprocal Healing

What if the key to healing our own trauma was held by a rescued cow or a rehabilitated horse? On this episode of the LiveWell podcast, we speak with Ellie Laks, the visionary founder of The Gentle Barn. Ellie shares on her lifelong journey of connecting with animals, from a seven-year-old with a dream to an international leader on the power of animal sanctuaries. We dive deep into 'Cow Hug Therapy,' interspecies empathy, and how creating a haven for animals creates a parallel sanctuary for humans who may have forgotten what it feels like to be safe.In this episode we discuss:·      The Origins of the Gentle Barn: Ellie’s childhood surrounded by animals and their companionship and how her upbringing birthed the dream of the Gentle Barn. ·      The Potency of Non-Verbal Connection: Animals offer a unique form of therapy different from traditional talk therapy; they can mirror our emotions and provide a grounding presence.·      Mutual Healing: The trauma these animals have experienced followed by rehabilitation at the Gentle Barn allows them to accept human visitors who may arrive with trauma of their own. ·      Lessons Learned: How different species living at the Gentle Barn have taught Ellie different lasting life lessons. The episode gives a glimpse into how the animals are rehabilitated, how the Gentle Barn is structured, and the different therapy modalities they offer to the public. Resources:Books: Cow Hug Therapy: How the Animals at The Gentle Barn Taught Me about Life, Death, and Everything in Between and My Gentle Barn: Creating a Sanctuary Where Animals Heal and Children Learn to HopeWebsite: https://www.gentlebarn.org/Today’s podcast was brought to you by UCLA’s Semel Healthy Campus Initiatives Center. It really means a lot to our team when you rate and review LiveWell on your preferred listening platform. Thank you so much for supporting our storytelling. We also have links in the show notes on our website: https://healthy.ucla.edu/ If you have any questions or want to suggest a guest to be interviewed, please reach out at: [email protected]  To stay up to date with our latest podcasts, make sure to follow us on Instagram @healthyucla