CityView Magazine

40 | May/June 2017 Sullivan's Highland Funeral Service & Crematory Would your family know what to do in the event of your death? Have you made your wishes clear? Would funeral costs be a burden to your family members? One of the kindest gifts you could give your family is to make your own funeral arrangements before they are needed. Having the decisions made before then can reduce confusion and family discord and allow your family to focus on the grieving process. Meet with one of our experienced funeral directors to ensure that your preferences are documented and give your family the peace of mind that they are following your wishes when the time comes. The Kindest Gift You Can Give Sullivan's Highland Funeral Service & Crematory 910.484.8108 | 610 Ramsey Street | Fayetteville, NC Karen Sullivan Mercer and Edward Mercer Welcome to peace Peace prevails at Avalon Farms. Sounds of traffic drain away. Wind chimes sing. Trees sway in the breeze. e sun shines hopefully. Out in the nineteen acres divided into three pastures, 12 horses graze on green grass, roll over to itch their backs and wander. Horses are prey animals; they are always on high alert. e eyes on either side of their head are ever- watchful, always shiing, an easy quality to relate to for veterans. Due to their preyed-upon-nature, horses have high emotional intelligence; they can sense intent. "[Horses] can see what's going on below the surface," John explains. "As a therapist," he says, pointing to Deb, "she can't see what's going on inside you. We can use the horses as a barometer for what's going on. If there's a lot of energy within someone, the horses will react to that energy." Word of mouth for peace Without advertising, the primary way Horses at Heal shares their mission is through word of mouth. And people are talking. Recognized at a national level for their work, Deb and John recently returned from the 2017 EAGALA Conference where they presented on aspects of military transition. Service members who wish to participate receive 12 sessions at no cost. ese sessions are funded by private donations, grants and proceeds from the annual HTH golf tournament. e Foleys are also hoping to enter into a partnership with the Veterans Treatment Court. In the future, the Foleys are hopeful military mental health referrals will allow more veterans to receive this care. Walking the pastures e Foleys explain how a therapy session oen begins. "A lot of times when we're getting treatment started, we'll walk the pastures. For clients with PTSD, it helps to see the boundaries and get a feel for the space." And then Deb and John will let the clients introduce themselves to the horses.

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