What Is Cow Hug Therapy: What You Need to Hear About Life With Cows With Ellie Laks

Maybe you've heard of equine therapy but have you heard about "Cow Hug" therapy? Did you know that cows are matriarchal and take care of each other in birth, life and death?

We can all learn a thing or two about society, how to take care of each other and about a different way to heal from these amazing animals - cows! 

Listen to this ground-breaking episode with Ellie Laks, co-founder of The Gentle Barn and the author of the book Cow Hug Therapy: How the Animals at the Gentle Barn Taught Me about Life, Death, and Everything In Between (ARC, May 21, 2024)

Cows are wise and compassionate animal ambassadors who have helped countless people heal from trauma with their gentle, calm manner at the 3 different Gentle Barn locations. Each animal's story in this book will touch your heart and maybe make you cry, like me. 

Through the stories of Buddha, her first cow, to many other animals like turkey, pigs, dogs, horses and other cows, their unique personalities will leap off each page to share life lessons with all of us. 

Ellie Laks is the Founder of The Gentle Barn Foundation, a national organization that rescues and rehabilitates unwanted animals and heals people with the same stories of abuse and neglect.

Ellie is a powerful speaker, celebrated animal welfare advocate, humane educator, animal communicator, and the author of “My Gentle Barn: Creating a sanctuary where animals heal and children learn to hope,” and “Cow Hug Therapy: How the animals at The Gentle Barn taught me about life, death, and everything in between.” Ellie founded The Gentle Barn in 1999.

She invented her own “Gentle Healing” method that allows old, sick, injured, and terrified animals to fully recover. Ellie is the creator of cow hug therapy and has hosted hundreds of thousands of people who have come to The Gentle Barn seeking hope.

Find out more about Ellie here at gentlebarn.org and find Ellie's newest book here

Book a session with Ellie for animal communication or find out more about here at her website here. Follow Ellie on Instagram here, Facebook here and X/Twitter here. Follow the Gentle Barn here. 

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Disclosure: I was provided a preview copy of Ellie's Cow Hug Therapy book for this interview