VOA标准英语2010-Abused People, Animals Find Healing in Ea

California group uses animals in a therapeutic¹ program for teenagers and disabled adults

Rachel Abrams | Santa Clarita, California 15 April 2010

The Gentle Barn rescues abused and neglected animals that eventually become part of a therapeutic program for teenagers and disabled adults.

 

She founded the Gentle Barn Foundation a decade ago and has given a permanent home to over 14 species of animals that were rescued from abuse or neglect.    

After rehabilitating² the animals, the Gentle Barn brings them together with troubled teenagers and disabled adults for therapy.

Therapeutic visits

"I've been here for a while," says Ana Gerbach, one of the disabled adults who comes to the Gentle Barn once a week as part of an informal 10-month therapeutic program. Grooming⁴ and caring for the animals is said to help people like her address their own challenges.

The animals often undergo months of special care before they can work with people.

 

"This place doesn't work by just hugging cute animals. It's the at-risk kids that have been through abuse and neglect and hardship and being misunderstood, when they come face-to-face with an animal that has the exact same story, that's the healing element," says Ellie Laks, Gentle Barn's founder⁵.

"That's where a kid goes, 'Wow, I'm not alone. There's someone else that shares my story. And if this animal can overcome and be safe here, then I can overcome and be safe in the world.'"

Put to work

Laks says her volunteers help educate the public about abused animals, among other tasks.

Founder Ellie Laks hopes to start Gentle Barns across the United States.

"All the horses are groomed⁶ at 10 o'clock every day, so you've got volunteers that come in and groom³ the horses," she says.

"We have volunteers that come and take the animals for walks and eat grass. When we have a special rescue where the animal needs supervision⁷ and company, we have volunteers that come and supervise that animal, sometimes around-the-clock, all through the night."

Retiree Janet Becht began volunteering at the Gentle Barn last April and has been coming back ever since. 

"And I didn't even know where it was, it was four miles (six kilometers) from my house," she says. "So it's very close and, I don't know, I just never saw anything like it. Just fell in love with the horses. They scare me. They did, they don't scare me so much any more." 

The animals often undergo months of special care before they can work with people.

Volunteers also help with the upkeep of the Gentle Barn, which is funded by donations.

Ellie Laks says she hopes to start Gentle Barns across the United States so everyone can interact with animals and experience their unique brand of healing. 

 

1 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

2 rehabilitating   

改造（罪犯等）( rehabilitate的现在分词 )； 使恢复正常生活； 使恢复原状； 修复

参考例句：

• a unit for rehabilitating drug addicts 帮助吸毒者恢复正常生活的机构
• She was more concerned about protecting the public than rehabilitating the criminal. 她比较关心保护百姓，而不大关心改造罪犯。

3 groom   

vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁

参考例句：

• His father was a groom.他父亲曾是个马夫。
• George was already being groomed for the top job.为承担这份高级工作，乔治已在接受专门的培训。

4 grooming   

n. 修饰, 美容，（动物）梳理毛发

参考例句：

• You should always pay attention to personal grooming. 你应随时注意个人仪容。
• We watched two apes grooming each other. 我们看两只猩猩在互相理毛。

5 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

6 groomed   

v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗

参考例句：

• She is always perfectly groomed. 她总是打扮得干净利落。
• Duff is being groomed for the job of manager. 达夫正接受训练，准备当经理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。