For those of you who have curiosity about the origin of Cooper's Crossroad, the following should help clarify.

The seed of Cooper's Crossroad was planted the day I walked out of a 30 day inpatient program at Sierra Tucson for PTSD and trauma in August 2016. Having hit a hard low in my life, I was helped there with the loving guidance of friends and family, carrying baggage left from early childhood adversity and a laundry list of diagnosis's.

Then and now, I consider my time at Sierra Tucson "college on steroids". I am more proud of my "degree" from there than any other degree achieved to date. There, not only did I start on my own pathway of healing, but my education surrounding the negative impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences on life spans was kick started.

As I walked out of treatment I clearly thought ; "I want to help others in this world who may, like myself, benefit from the knowledge that I had begun to gain."

The thought of starting a women's group slipped in to my mind.

I smile now when I think of that memory. Mostly because the day I walked out of treatment, I had no idea what it would be like to step in to a "new normal".

I had changed. My life had changed. I had no real grasp of the epic whirlwind that I faced settling in to "customary life" again.

But by spring of 2017, I had settled in to my "new normal". And as I planted my garden, that seed of desire to help others that I felt prior, began to germinate. And a woman's group did not feel "right". So I began talking in the barn about starting a non profit to raise awareness of trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

Now, please note, I had NO IDEA really what it meant to start a non profit. I just knew I needed to do SOMETHING. So I plucked smart folks from my life and began asking them for help in my burning desire to raise awareness of trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

With that said in December 2017 Cooper's Crossroad officially became a 501 (c-3) non profit.

Our vision is to help build a healthier community by raising awareness surrounding the effects of trauma and adverse childhood experiences . We offer education, outreach, awareness events and programs, such as Farming For Resilience, to help build courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion in participants and attendees.

Lead by a passionate board, we have hope to increase our impact within the community, and reach beyond. Every hour, every day, year around I think about how to counter the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

For those who may face the ravaging impact of trauma and/or PTSD, I pray my story is one of hope and healing.
​
All my best,
Christina

Good bye 2020 and Welcome 2021. I believe I can safely say most of the world population is looking forward to the New Year. Without over stating the obivious COVID 19 impacted our world in catastrophic ways. It held Cooper's Crossroad "back" in some ways but as with many things, there has been a silver lining. This year has been monumentally moving and a year of strong growth for the organization. Kenny Ballard, President of the CCR Board, I want to thank you in particular for your countless hours, unbelievable work, compassion, leadership and vision. Thank you for having belief in Cooper's Crossroad's mission to raise awareness of trauma and adverse childhood experiences. The board has pushed towards trauma awareness within the community and now beyond, with an increasingly "frontward view" to the world. Through the work that Cooper's Crossroad is doing, resilience is growing in individuals, families, schools and the community. 2020 has been a challenging year for sure. But despite all the COVID 19 restrictions, we have been able to continue forward with our mission and vision.
*2020 has seen the addition of 2 new schools to the Farming For Resilience program. *Our curriculum (6, 7 and 12 weeks) has been "captured" in easy to access form. *Farming For Resilience has been trademarked.
*We were able to host our one "COVID safe" fundraiser, the 5K Pleasure Ride. And we have continued facilitating Farming For Resilience sessions throughout the pandemic.
*We have a volunteer training and preparation process in place.
*And we have an incredible social media intern, moving the organization in to 2021 with a stronger social media presence.
Plus more. Our board has done the WORK to enable Cooper's Crossroad to dream big.
*As we move in to 2021 we plan to add another program, Pathways To Wellness, to our line up.
*Farming For Resilience will continue to grow. We have five schools planning on beginning the program again in the fall of 2021.
*We are mobilizing to increase our reach.
*Plans to increase our financial and human resources are well underway.
*Campaigns to enable donors to support a particular need is being developed.
*AND, for longer term goals, an adjustment in physical space is needed as we are out growing the current location.
So THANK YOU so much to all the supporters of Cooper's Crossroad. You are all helping to raise awareness of trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

Happy New Year,
​Christina

Winter has slowly crept its way in to New England. With it, the damp cold, deep cold, short day light hours, the first major snow, Christmas lights, and many layers.
 
I have never been a huge fan of winter. But I do appreciate the seasons. And without the winter of short days and frosty noses, summer would not feel quite as glorious. Additionally the ebb and flow of the seasons helps "change up" routine for us all. During the summer, it is easy to jump out of bed early to welcome the sun. In winter, the sun doesn't want to wake either. 

With this, time is spent differently.... being creative, studying, reading, and visiting friends and family vs gardening, hiking, walking or other outdoor activities. Life ends out "looking" different. 

So now facing the season ahead, I turn my eyes to reading more. In a recent read, "Didn't see That Coming" Rachel Hollis shares with frankness and humor how to embrace difficult periods in life for what they can be, a way to teach us. This book is about the seasons of life. Each of us will most likely have to face a "winter" season or two..darkness and pain will creep in. R. Hollis shares her stories to help us all learn how to find meaning in anything. We can not control what has happened to us in the past. But we can control how we choose to respond.  

So, as the winter approaches, I take in the wisdom this little book has about big feelings. Quote : "It often takes a life-changing crisis to remind us which parts of life are worth living." Rachel Hollis shares the knowledge "what's been good, will always be good : the smell of coconut sunblock, a home cooked meal, a job well done, the kindness of strangers, a perfect cup of coffee with a view.'..... and one of the most awful, beautiful things about the hard seasons is that unless we experience hardship, we'll never truly appreciate and remember the good that was always good."

She also offers "tools" that have helped her in darker seasons of her life. For example: 

*Setting intentions for a journey, whether it be to heal or for health, will help one stay present, able to experience the moment fully and process what may need processing. 
*Getting someone to process with, judgement free. (I, personally, have a therapist and several good friends who I consider judgement free). 
*Ask youself, is this real? Past experiences have a sneaky way of affecting our perspective on situations. Sometimes we need to check, did that "thing" really happen? "Our minds are incredibly powerful and if you are not careful just thinking about the possibility of something bad happening can make us feel as if something bad has happened."

Aptly said on the front cover, "'Didn't See That Coming' delivers hope that darkness and light can coexist."

With that said, I will welcome the winter this year and embrace it for what it can be, a way to teach me. Whatever it brings, I will look for tools to help and insight to guide. 

To gain more of Rachel Hollis' wisdom, please check out 'Didn't See That Coming'.

Enjoy frosty noses and fresh snow!

All the best, Christina

Remember a time you felt anger, frustration or stress?

Are you frustrated because something did not work out the way you wanted it to? Or overwhelmed because a task seems too big or complicated?
Or hurt by the actions of another?
These feelings are like a cord. This cord ties you to the incident, person or situation that is creating anger, frustration and stress. When we are "tied" to that feeling, we can not move forward, or help the people we might want to.

I am so grateful for the unseasonably warm weather we recently experienced in New England.

​I have faith it will help carry us through the up coming winter months.

Winter. Short days, cold, ice, snow, and now COVID. Really not a good conbination. Even skiiers, usually so ready for the winter to come on, are feeling the crunch of COVID. Specificlly in travel restrictions. How do you get away skiing for a day/weekend if two week quartine is necessary on either end? Not many can take off a month for a weekend away.

Then...WHAT?? Thanksgiving is canceled in various states.

Recently, in putting together the details of one of the Farming For Resilience sessions, I had the opportunity to illustrate and define simple horse language. I titled it "Horse Language 101". Please read it, if interested.

​In a nut shell, it gives a simple definition of simple horse "language".

To begin, I would like to explain my "Blog absence" : I believe that time is ACTUALLY running away from me. Weeks have gone by in the blink of an eye.

I teach a one hour lesson, and as it wraps up, I can not believe an HOUR went by. Each horse I school, each meeting I have, each Farming For Resilience session I co-facilitate ....all are flying by.

​All kidding aside, both Dusty Dog Farm and Cooper's Crossroad have been BUSY.

I have been spending my "spare time" recently working on the curriculum for Cooper's Crossroad's Farming For Resilience six week fall program. To say that it is inspiring work is an understatement. The syllabus it filled with lessons like "Gaining Gratitude", "Caring, Communication and Compassion", "Capturing Courage" and "Guidance on Gratitude". I get excited when I allow myself the pleasure of hours with this work.

​Having done Farming For Resilience programs for several years now, the personal anticipation and joy of delivering these messages is hard to beat. I see faces light up, voices able to speak, confidance shining through and trust developing, as the lessons of courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion come to reality through the horses.