March 19, 2013 - Support Group Meeting
Green Hill Therapy - Green Hill Therapy - Green Hill Therapy is a nonprofit organization which integrates occupational, physical and
speech therapy with hippotherapy and aquatherapy, two dynamic treatment programs that address sensory-motor learning in special needs children. Their goal is simple: They want to help kids reach their full potential through proven, playful intervention.
Green Hill Therapy, Inc. was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by Shirley M. Cochran, M.S.P.T., P.C.S., pediatric physical therapist. Shirley was a lifelong horsewoman and professional rider for more than 15 years. She was first exposed to hippotherapy in graduate school, learning how beneficial the gait and movement of a horse are to an impaired person’s neuromuscular system. Her experiences led to an intense passion for combining the healing power of the horse with classic therapeutic principles. So in the spring of 2000, Shirley began Green Hill Therapy in her backyard with three children and she has witnessed amazing results.
In July 2008, Shirley passed the reigns to Gregory Nielsen, who joined Green Hill as Executive Director. A licensed attorney, Gregory graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2000 and Notre Dame Law School in 2003. Gregory previously served for three years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and also worked for Bank of America.
Since coming on board, Gregory has led Green Hill to new heights and vast growth — from renovations and improvements to the clinic to the development of an innovative new aquatherapy program. Today, Green Hill is privileged to operate out of a 10,000 square foot facility that encompasses both clinical treatment space as well as an indoor, year-round riding arena. The facility has experienced exponential growth in the number of children served. A staff of talented and dedicated physical, occupational and speech therapists serve more than 125 children per week using the horse as a proven, playful intervention tool.
Hippotherapy
We specialize in hippotherapy because we believe in the healing power of the horse. When a child receives therapy on horseback, they are exposed to more than 3,000 repetitions per half hour created by the rhythmic movements of the horse. The sensory input is key to helping kids improve neuromotor function, strength, flexibility, balance, posture, coordination and speech. Children who come to Green Hill for therapeutic services spend 30 minutes on the horse and 30 minutes in the clinic.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy addresses the building blocks required for a child’s “occupation” or everyday living skills, which can include play,
educational tasks and self care activities. Performance components that are frequently addressed through OT at Green Hill include:
Movement is a much needed part of social interaction, learning, health and fitness. Physical therapy at Green Hill is primarily focused on gross motor skills and movement. Through strengthening, stretching and re-training the core and extremity muscles a child can advance his or her
skills. We use the movement of the horse combined with a more traditional
in-clinic model to help our clients improve skills at all levels of function.
These skills include:
Aquatherapy
The buoyancy, support, accommodating resistance and other unique properties of the aquatic environment enhance interventions for patients/clients across the age span with musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary, and skin diseases, disorders, or conditions. Aquatic Therapy interventions are designed to improve or maintain:
Communication is one of the most important aspects of life. Speech therapy can help children and their families establish the skills necessary to meet that basic need. Speech therapy at Green Hill focuses on providing services that address the following:
www.greenhilltherapy.com
speech therapy with hippotherapy and aquatherapy, two dynamic treatment programs that address sensory-motor learning in special needs children. Their goal is simple: They want to help kids reach their full potential through proven, playful intervention.
Green Hill Therapy, Inc. was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by Shirley M. Cochran, M.S.P.T., P.C.S., pediatric physical therapist. Shirley was a lifelong horsewoman and professional rider for more than 15 years. She was first exposed to hippotherapy in graduate school, learning how beneficial the gait and movement of a horse are to an impaired person’s neuromuscular system. Her experiences led to an intense passion for combining the healing power of the horse with classic therapeutic principles. So in the spring of 2000, Shirley began Green Hill Therapy in her backyard with three children and she has witnessed amazing results.
In July 2008, Shirley passed the reigns to Gregory Nielsen, who joined Green Hill as Executive Director. A licensed attorney, Gregory graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2000 and Notre Dame Law School in 2003. Gregory previously served for three years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and also worked for Bank of America.
Since coming on board, Gregory has led Green Hill to new heights and vast growth — from renovations and improvements to the clinic to the development of an innovative new aquatherapy program. Today, Green Hill is privileged to operate out of a 10,000 square foot facility that encompasses both clinical treatment space as well as an indoor, year-round riding arena. The facility has experienced exponential growth in the number of children served. A staff of talented and dedicated physical, occupational and speech therapists serve more than 125 children per week using the horse as a proven, playful intervention tool.
Hippotherapy
We specialize in hippotherapy because we believe in the healing power of the horse. When a child receives therapy on horseback, they are exposed to more than 3,000 repetitions per half hour created by the rhythmic movements of the horse. The sensory input is key to helping kids improve neuromotor function, strength, flexibility, balance, posture, coordination and speech. Children who come to Green Hill for therapeutic services spend 30 minutes on the horse and 30 minutes in the clinic.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy addresses the building blocks required for a child’s “occupation” or everyday living skills, which can include play,
educational tasks and self care activities. Performance components that are frequently addressed through OT at Green Hill include:
- Core strength
- Fine motor skills
- Visual motor skills (including handwriting)
- Sensory processing skills
- Bilateral coordination skills
- Motor planning skills
Movement is a much needed part of social interaction, learning, health and fitness. Physical therapy at Green Hill is primarily focused on gross motor skills and movement. Through strengthening, stretching and re-training the core and extremity muscles a child can advance his or her
skills. We use the movement of the horse combined with a more traditional
in-clinic model to help our clients improve skills at all levels of function.
These skills include:
- Head and trunk control for sitting, standing, and dynamic balance
- Transitions between surfaces (rolling, floor to chair, sit to stand, lying down to sitting up, etc)
- Walking, running
- Climbing, jumping
- Bicycle riding
- Swimming
Aquatherapy
The buoyancy, support, accommodating resistance and other unique properties of the aquatic environment enhance interventions for patients/clients across the age span with musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular/pulmonary, and skin diseases, disorders, or conditions. Aquatic Therapy interventions are designed to improve or maintain:
- function
- aerobic capacity/endurance conditioning
- balance, coordination and agility
- body mechanics and postural stabilization
- flexibility
- gait and locomotion
- relaxation
- muscle strength, power, and endurance
Communication is one of the most important aspects of life. Speech therapy can help children and their families establish the skills necessary to meet that basic need. Speech therapy at Green Hill focuses on providing services that address the following:
- receptive communication skills (what child understands)
- expressive communication skills (child’s use of language)
- articulation disorders (problems with speech sounds or understanding what a child says)
- social skills, play skills
- feeding/swallowing issues
www.greenhilltherapy.com