The Gentle Barn Interview

Big city life can be isolating. Especially during a pandemic. 

The Gentle Barn believes we would be much healthier and happier if we all slowed down and got back in touch with the animal world. Their centers rehabilitate animals and encourage visitors to interact with them.

Find out how hugging farm animals helps trauma sufferers open up, find solace and begin healing.

Listen here or find us on your favorite podcast app.

March 5, 2021

Why Embracing Nature (Literally!) Could Improve Your Wellbeing

#142 Great.com Talks With... The Gentle Barn

Spending time outdoors with animals is proven to confer a host of mental and physical benefits. But many of us lead frantically busy lives, oblivious to any nature beyond the concrete jungle. In this episode we talked with Ellie Laks and Jay Weiner from The Gentle Barn about the importance of taking a step back and reconnecting with the natural world.

Mutual Respect and Empathy

The Gentle Barn believes in the curative power of the human-animal bond. They rescue, heal and rehabilitate animals that have nowhere else to go. Working with domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, and foster centers, they encourage people who have suffered trauma to meet these animals.

Many who experience neglect or abandonment are reluctant to show vulnerability during traditional therapy. But when The Gentle Barn gets them to hug a cow, their natural affinity with the rescue animals shines through, helping them open up. Ellie and Jay explain that animals are just like us; they have exactly the same instinct to nurture and protect and the same love of affection and companionship.

Listen to the whole interview to find out how natural interactions and interspecies empathy are changing lives. You can also get involved directly. The organization has animal sanctuaries in Tennessee, California and Missouri, with ambitious plans to open in New York soon!

Want to learn more about The Gentle Barn? You can subscribe to The Gentle Barn’s Newsletter and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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