BOONE, Iowa — May is Mental Health Awareness Month.
Romans Ranch, a facility in Boone, uses horses for mental health therapy and is home to six horses and four miniatures.
Danielle Anderson-Jeppesen is the owner of the horse ranch, and is a licensed foster mother who noticed her kids dealing with trauma and opening up more around the animals.
“We’d go mess with the horses, and they could open up and start talking about some of the things," Anderson-Jeppesen said. "So, I decided it’s worth getting actually trained to do this.”
The facility has licensed therapists that have helped children, veterans and survivors of both domestic violence and human trafficking.
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“The reason horses work so well with mental health therapy is that a horse’s brain is much like a human that has undergone a significant amount of trauma," Anderson-Jeppesen said.
Her clients range in ages from six to 63 years old.
“It’s never too late to seek out mental health," Anderson-Jeppesen added. "It’s never too late.”
She will host a behavioral health intervention service in June. You can contact Romans Ranch on Facebook or by calling 515-298-2202.