Rocking Horse Rehab
 A Pediatric Rehab and Family Wellness Center
Read on to find out what's happening at Rocking Horse Rehab!
Mission Statement

Rocking Horse Rehab is a pediatric rehabilitation and family wellness center located within the Essex Equestrian Center in West Orange, NJ. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life of individuals with special needs and their families by offering innovative opportunities for clinical, educational and social development. Our philosophy is to treat the "whole child" using equine assisted therapies with the expertise of our highly specialized staff.
 
Visit us on the web!
NJ Family  Favorite Kids' Docs 2015

Congratulations to our RHR 
therapists  who have been voted 
NJ's Favorite Kids' Docs 

Kathy Lutz, LCSW, CADC
Sheri Marino, MA, CCC-SLP
Kimberly Kones, MS, OT
Fiana Bezpalko, MS, CCC-SLP
Doreen Cruz, MS, CCC-SLP

Check out the December issue of NJ Family magazine for more details.
 
  View the full list here!

Message of the Month
by Kathy Lutz, LCSW, TRI

What is Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy?

Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy is an experiential form of therapy that involves a therapeutic  partnership between a client, therapist and a horse. Because they are prey animals, horses are  extremely sensitive to the emotional states of humans. That means the horse has the ability to act like a b iofeedback machine. For example, if the client arrives anxious, the horse will act and respond one way.  If the client is able to reduce his/her anxiety, the horse's behavior will also change. This treatment 
approach allows clients the opportunity to work on social skills, emotion regulation skills and self- calming strategies, all in the moment, learning more about themselves and what works for them. It may  be done through groundwork in the barn or round pen or while on horseback.

Popular with children, adolescents and adults, work with equines is ideal for persons
experiencing ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, social skills issues, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, self- confidence problems and behavioral is sues .

Horse of the Month
Que Boy

Que Boy is a 10-year-old haflinger who stands 15 hands high. Que gets his name from the question mark shape of the beautiful white blaze on his face! This month we celebrate Que's 3rd anniversary at RHR! Que is the largest member of  our herd and  he is very happy working with our children and adults.  He is extremely gentle, patient, very friendly and loves to give kisses after his sessions. His favorite food is.... anything and everything!

Que is ridden by clients both tall and small and loves to do his job.  He has some quirky behaviors that make him all the more lovable, such as nickering when riders take their feet out of the stirrups!  We look forward to working with Que for many years to come!
Staff Member of the Month
Carey Masson, Office Manager

Carey Masson has been a part of our Rocking Horse family since 2009, when she started volunteering for our program. Carey was a dedicated volunteer for 4 years before she became a part-time program assistant, working with the horses, children and assisting with program operations. She is a graduate of Centenary College where she majored in equine studies with a science  concentration. This summer, Carey was promoted to office manager and is responsible for all daily operations, management of staff/volunteers/interns/horses/clients schedules and most importantly  is the friendly face that greets everybody that enters RHR! Carey's organizational and management skills have been a huge asset to RHR and she is trusted and respected by all of her colleagues and equine staff! In her spare time, you can find Carey riding her horse Bella and any of our equine partners! We are lucky to have Carey on our team!
Hero of the Month
The Kids Wish Network 

The Kid's Wish Network chose Shanna as Hero of the Month in November 2013!  Shanna came to Rocking Horse Rehab in August of 2013 for help managing her ADHD and PTSD.  She loves working with all kinds of animals.  During her sessions with RHR, Shanna was able to work on better managing her emotions and body language in difficult situations.

Shanna has graduated from RHR and has been successfully taking riding lessons since working with us.  She is now a senior in high school.  We wish Shanna the best of luck in the future!

Volunteer of the Month
Nicolette Manresa

Nicolette has been interning with our social worker, Kathy Lutz, since September of 2015.  She attends New Jersey City University in Jersey City where she majors in Psychology.  Nicolette enjoys working with our clients by sidewalking or leading their horse for sessions.  She is always quick to ask if any extra help is needed around the office or in the barn.

Nicolette has become a vital part of our team and we look forward to working with her for the rest of the semester!

Our volunteers are an essential part of the RHR team and we could not offer our services without their dedication and support! Volunteers help spot the children as side-walkers and also help to prepare our equine partners for therapy sessions. Earn hours for community service, religion classes, high school requirements or college applications by volunteering at RHR! This rewarding and fulfilling experience will be sure to make your day brighter!

To become a volunteer, email:

University Partners

Thank you to the following universities and colleges for providing us with wonderful student interns. We are honored to help influence their futures in the health professions as fieldwork educators.

County College of Morris
Delaware University
Eastwick College
Farleigh Dickinson University
Felician College
Ithaca College
Kean University
Montclair State University
New Jersey City University
Philadelphia University
Quinnipiac Univesity
Salus University
Seton Hall University
State College of Pennsylvania
Stockton College
Tauro College
Thomas Jefferson University
University of Scranton
William Paterson University
 
To complete an internship at RHR, email:

Treatment times available!

Rocking Horse Rehab is open 
Monday-Friday 10am-6pm 
and Sundays from 9am-5pm.

We have immediate openings for speech therapy on Sunday afternoons. 

To request a client registration packet, email:

About our Founder
Sheri A. Marino, MA, CCC-SLP

Sheri founded Rocking Horse Rehab in September 2001. She is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who specializes in autism spectrum disorders. Sheri oversees program development and daily operations for RHR with the support of a dedicated, professional staff. She is the Executive Director of The Autism Think Tank, NJ, a non-profit, medical videoconferencing team for individuals with medically complex autism. Sheri  works directly with the Autism Think Tank medical experts and the families, and  manages fundraising, marketing and family events. In addition, she is the Strategic Planning Director for the Focus For Health Foundation which is dedicated to promoting advocacy, education and research to combat chronic health issues around the world. 


Rocking Horse Rehab is a proud member of


Thank you to our sponsor

12-22 Woodland Ave. West Orange, NJ 07052
STAY CONNECTED: