The headline of a Feb. 2021 Wall Street Journal article read: “For Better Health During the Pandemic, Is Two Hours Outdoors the New 10,000 Steps?” The article goes on to say that “the benefits of nature have been clear to scientists for some time but the pandemic has made the matter more urgent.”

In January, at our Annual Meeting we reviewed the History of our organization. Paraklesis Inc. was founded in 1990 to fill a service gap and Forest Lakes Counseling was born to provide quality, faith based counseling services for people in need regardless of their ability to pay.

Since day one making an impact and contributing to local, national and global nonprofits has been part of The Good Bowl’s DNA via their $1 per bowl donation to charities program. The recipient organizations are nonprofits rooted in humanitarian and environmental efforts are selected by their guests and employees and rotate each quarter.

The weeks and months are flying by, so many changes and adjustments, adding, subtracting, doing more of some things and less of others with not much time to process, have made my cup feel a little emptier lately. One thing that is unchanged is our commitment to serving both horses and humans in need.

At Traverse City’s Peace Ranch, which provides equine-assisted therapy to people of all ages needing mental health services, the pandemic brought cancellation of fundraising events but a swell in clients as the ranch took on people that state and local mental-health workers were prohibited from meeting with in person.

It’s known for its equine-assisted therapy for people in need of mental health services. Peace Ranch in Grand Traverse County has been deemed an essential service during the pandemic for kids in foster care to adults needing trauma therapy.

9&10 News is your Veterans Resource Station. This month, we’re talking about a nontraditional way to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD Some estimates show upwards of 20% of veterans suffer from some form of it.

9&10 News’ On The Road Crew, Gabriella and Stephanie, show you around the ranch and explain more about what services Peace Ranch offers.

Download Peace Ranch's 2020 Second Quarter Newsletter and subscribe online to receive future e-newsletters.

Peace Ranch is an experience with a tranquil feel that immediately overcomes you when you walk onto the grounds in Hoosier Valley, just outside Traverse City. “We provide experiential therapy for people who have trauma, and we use horses in therapy, and that’s what makes it a little bit unique,” says Jackie Kaschel, the executive director and founder of Peace Ranch.

Download Peace Ranch's 2020 First Quarter Newsletter and subscribe online to receive future e-newsletters.

Nestled back on Hoosier Valley road in Traverse City is a tranquil farm appropriately named PEACE Ranch. At first glance, it resembles a regular farm; horses, outbuildings, and gardens. However, it is so much more than that. By: Brooke Felger

Eagala will receive $637,700 to fund services shown to improve mental and emotional health of veterans and service members across the United States. This funding, provided by the VA Adaptive Sport Grant (ASG), will serve veterans and Military servicemembers from Oct 2019- Sept 2020 through equine-assisted psychotherapy.

In the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Congressman Barr offered an amendment to the IMPROVE Act—a veteran suicide prevention bill providing grants to community organizations—that would include equine-assisted therapy, adaptive sports, and innovative approaches to the list of services which organizations can receive funding to provide to veterans.

Three horses are adjusting to their new home at Peace Ranch. Crews moved three horses from a property in Grand Traverse County and brought them to Peace Ranch on Thursday.

Yesterday I was tagged in a social media post by a 14 year old. The title read: Suicide is Gen Z’s Second-Leading Cause of Death, And it’s a worse epidemic than anything millennials faced at that age. Along with horror at the title, I was intrigued that a 14 year old was posting an article of this nature from the Business Insider, an American financial and business news website published by Insider Inc.

Ten years ago, when Peace Ranch began offering equine-assisted psychotherapy to the community, it was that “crazy horse thing.” With increasing awareness and expansion of equine assisted activities, we often hear confusion about the different equine programs.

Every Saturday morning you can see people with memory loss and their caregivers at Peace Ranch in Traverse City – making The Evergreen Experience part of their weekend plans.

Peace Ranch and Inland Seas are already putting their $127,500 Impact 100 grants to work, upgrading and expanding their facilities and equipment.

Two Traverse City nonprofits each received a $127,500 grant Wednesday thanks to 255 local women who contributed $1,000 per person toward making a transformational impact in the community.