POTOMAC, IL (Chambana Today) – The Illini Media Group recently gifted $5,000 to the Gateway Family Services of Illinois through our Honor Fund program. This community organization provides trauma focused-equine assisted psychotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Equine Connected-EMDR, and play, sand, art and nature-based therapies to individuals of all ages.

Sessions incorporate science-based principles for building healthy, connected relationships that are aimed to help individuals and families. This comprehensive approach addresses the impact of trauma that has taken place throughout one’s development to help individuals and families achieve success in all areas of their lives.

CEO and Founder Michael Remole has nearly two decades of working with children and families in a variety of settings, including as a Multi-Systemic Therapist, Clinical Director, Children’s Pastor, Camp Counselor and speaker. Michael obtained his Master or Arts in Clinical Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. Michael founded and leads Gateway Family Services of Illinois, providing trauma focused-equine assisted psychotherapy, Individual & Family Therapy.
In addition to Gateway Family Services, Michael is currently the Executive Director of Hooves of Hope, a faith based mentoring program. Michael is passionate about neuroscience and understanding the impact of trauma on the brain.

Illini Media Group’s Vice President and General Manager Jamie Ulrey says choosing Gateway Family Serices wasn’t a hard decision. “I was able to witness, firsthand, how equine therapy has made amazing changes in the lives of veterans.”

The organization incorporates mounted work in sessions to assist individuals and families with improving self-regulation skills and increasing intimacy between horse and human. The whole experience guides people through an opportunity to process trauma. Horses are able to provide the rhythm required to effectively heal the impact of trauma on the brain until someone is able to independently provide that rhythm.

For more information, visit gatewayfamilyservices.org or call 217-488-8006.