Upcoming Community Event: Meeting on Trauma and Equine Therapy, Disco Fever

At the CSHN meeting Shawn Rodrigues, trauma counselor and Owner and Director of Heart of the Matter, PLLC, will introduce CAAFA’s audience to Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. As horses are naturally empathetic to human emotions, Ms. Rodrigues utilizes them to help those who have experienced trauma recognize how they been affected by a traumatic event, or series of events, and helps them work towards positive coping skills. There will be a live demonstration using the miniature horses that are included in sessions with children at the CSHN meeting. The CSHN meeting is free to all interested in participating. A light snack will be included, so please RSVP if possible to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,  to help planners accommodate for the group’s food needs.

“We are so fortunate to have Heart of the Matter at our CSHN meeting,” said CAAFA Executive Director Elizabeth Ditlevson Garman, “Shawn brings her horses into our domestic violence shelter once a week to help children, and their mothers, who have experienced abuse cope with the aftermath. It is a wonderful program, and we so excited for this opportunity to share it with the community.”

Disco Fever: Dancing Against Domestic Violence will be a fun-filled night! Tickets for the event are $30 and the event will include dinner, drinks, dancing a costume contest and silent auction. This fundraiser will help CAAFA continue to provide free services for those affected by family and intimate partner violence, which includes the equine therapy provided in shelter by Heart of the Matter. To purchase a ticket for Disco Fever, go to http://discofever5.eventbrite.com/, or come into CAAFA’s office at 185 N. Apache Trail, Suite 1.

CAAFA provides a toll-free 24 hour crisis line, empowerment sessions, legal advocacy, support groups, emergency shelter services, advocacy, and community education and outreach, which touch thousands of community members and domestic violence victims each year.