After house explosion, Plum families offered a unique form of therapy
By Ashley Zilka
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PLUM, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — The Plum community continues to come to terms with the explosion that claimed six lives.
For the second day in a row, families gathered together for a special event Tuesday, focusing on kids.
Students will start the new school year at Plum Wednesday. But first, some of them received comfort through an unlikely source: horses.
“It will help bring them back to the present. Keep them a little more grounded. Hopefully, give them a little courage. If they are able to come hang out with a 1000-pound animal, they will be able to face school, and the new challenges that they are going to be confronting at school,” said Ilse Eisele, a therapist at Bella Terra Stables.
Bella Terra Stables in Murrysville took their therapy program to Plum and helped kids cope with the tragedy that rocked their neighborhood less than two weeks ago.
The nonprofit offers therapy and wellness programs to children in crisis.
“As a trainer, we have to control our breathing, control our emotions, we have to have this natural curiosity. We have to be aware, and when we are working with kids, we will often do activities or even observations where we bring that out,” said Amber Power, an equine specialist at Bella Terra Stables.
Berra Terra Stables spent the afternoon at the community’s Ridgetop Park. That’s also where the Rustic Ridge Homeowners Association held the gathering for children with the help of volunteers and organizations.
“I feel for the kids because they are going back to school and life is going to change again, especially my grandson going to first grade. You know it’s a big day for him,” said Jeane DeAngelis.
Organizers put on a day full of fun activities giving kids some relief. DeAngelis spent the day with her family and two grandchildren.
“Especially this age, she’s two and a half, and she really doesn’t understand what it’s all about, but she knows she’s having fun. The other kids, you can tell, they just rallied together. They are just all together and having a good time,” DeAngelis said.
The Plum School District says they will have counselors and social workers ready to meet students as they go back to school. The district will be offering group counseling at all five schools.
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