“What once needed healing now give healing. What was once broken has now been restored. What was once lost is now found.” This quote describes the various themes in Hope Rising (Meeder 27). Hope Rising is a collection of captivating stories that each tell a different tale. The main concept of the book uses horses as therapy for troubled people. Therapy through horses in Hope Rising is a main factor in promoting healing. However, one commonality is the themes that tie into counseling skills. The book ties in themes of focusing on the person, connecting skills, uses of empathy, and how these skills can be used in everyday life.
Hope Rising is centered on people and how they overcome and cope with their hardships with their experiences at the
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The narrator kneeled down to reach his level to engage in conversation (Meeder 14). She also positioned her body and offered him a soft smile when telling him they have a horse for him to ride. The narrator clearly used physical centering and eye contact to connect and focus on Adam. This was a very powerful aspect in making Adam feel comfortable. Physical centering can be used real life when talking to a chid or a person in a wheel chair. This is an important aspect in making them feel comfortable within the conversation. The narrator focused on Jessica, a young girl that lived a life of abuse. One day, Jessica seemed particularly quiet. It was hard for the narrator to read the situation, so the narrator asked “how was your day?”(Meeder 203). The narrator knew that her question was a mistake. However, Jessica revealed her emotions. She was being physically bullied at school. In this case, the narrator let Jennifer tell her story to grasp an understanding of her demeanor. Cliché questions often lead to not clear answers. Letting a person tell their story helps clarify the situation. This enables the receiver to understand what the situation means to the teller. Another instance where the narrator focused on the person was when it came to the story of Jessica. Jessica never