Originally published: . Volume 13, No. 6. Source pages: 13.
Dr. Beverly Stubblefield has produced another delightful book based on her experiences in animal-assisted psychotherapy and her years of running The Equestrian Therapy Center in Slidell, More Bedtime Stories from the Barn. Stubblefield again blends psychological elements, endearing characters, and faith-based approach to life and its challenges in this second offering of her series. Like the first book, More Bedtime Stories from the Barn is designed to be used with children and their parents. This new collection of tales from the barn are engaging stories, clearly written with clever dialogue between the characters, and with Stubblefield's signature psychological and moral message straightforwardly communicated. Stubblefield directly and often courageously lays out the psychological and spiritual elements of life––loss, fear, trust, disability, anger and more. Through her characters––the horses, children, and the adults–– she blends an array of psychological and spiritual topics and messages. The stories are sweet and tender. Children will find them engaging and the multi layers will have meaning to the parents. The stories can be surprising, probably because they are based on real-life events that Stubblefield encountered in her practice. What can be a little unexpected is the poignancy of many of the stories, which also likely stems from the fact that the Center involved real people in difficult times in their lives. The illustrations are beautiful and complement the text in a way that youngsters will surely embrace. From the introduction Dr. Stubblefield writes: "As in the first book of BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE BARN, the horses at the Equestrian Therapy Center continue to talk with each other about their many experiences in MORE BEDTIME STORIES FROM THE BARN. Aunt Bev, JR, Roanie, Skeeter, and the other horses talk about lessons learned from horse shows, Christmas activities, and trips to Short Oaks Farm. Aunt Bev even tells a story about daring adventure! "Parents and caretakers of children ages six to twelve are to read these stories nightly to encourage bonding and emotional security, to teach coping strategies for life, and to promote sweet dreams. Additionally, many of these stories provide psychological insights as well as Biblical truths. “ 'Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.' Job 12:7." More Bedtime Stories from the Barn is organized into three sections. The first section is Bedtime Stories from the Barn at the Horse Show. This section includes stories on “Competition,” ”Anger,“ “The Missing Saddle,“ and “The Last Show.” The next section is Stories from the Barn at Christmas. This section includes “Living Nativity,” “Christmas Decorations,“ and “A Christmas Surprise.“ The final section, Stories from the Barn at Short Oaks Farm, includes a variety of themes starting with, “The Basketball Game,“ “Surefooted,“ and concluding with “Good Friday.” Stubblefield‘s philosophy and joy in horses is always evident throughout this new addition to her children’s books. She ends the "Good Friday" story celebrating nature and life. “The beautiful births of the two foals reminded Aunt Bev of God‘s creation in Genesis 1:24: ‘Then God said, let the earth produce every sort of animal.’ And that is what happened. And God saw that it was good. ‘God gave the horse its strength and clothes its neck with a flowing mane.’ Job 39:19) “The horse is truly majestic and magnificent,” she writes. “Everyone stood in amazement watching the two mares care for their new babies in the glow of the full moon. It truly was a Good Friday.“ In all of her work, Dr. Stubblefield explains that parents are to read the stories, listen to the children’s comments and questions, explore the true meaning of the bedtime stories, and provide understanding and guidance. In addition to Scripture references, psychological principles and techniques are provided in her parents' guide to help both the adults and children learn effective coping skills to deal with today’s issues. In book 1, a glossary of “horse” words is included to better understand the horses’ world the stories tell about. The parents' guide will also be a resource for family therapists to give to their clients to facilitate the therapeutic process at home, explained Dr. Stubblefield. Inspired by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, Dr. Stubblefield opened The Equestrian Therapy Center of Slidell, Louisiana, in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Equine assisted psychotherapy helped children and their families overcome fear and anxiety resulting from the hurricane. Her innovation of using horses in the treatment of emotional and behavioral disorders won the New Orleans City Business Innovator award in 2007. “In Equine Assisted Psychotherapy,” she previously explained, “horses are used in a similar fashion as in play therapy to improve patients’ well-being and lifestyle functioning.” And she noted, “This type of therapy tends to effect behavior change more rapidly than more traditional forms of psychotherapy.” According to Dr. Stubblefield, the therapeutic mechanism includes the fact that horses are large animals and some patients may not be comfortable around them initially. “If you can control an 800-pound horse,” said Dr. Stubblefield, “you can accomplish anything!” Dr. Stubblefield received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Mississippi. She also holds a Diploma in Biblical Studies from Samford University. After 30 years of clinical practice, Dr. Stubblefield is now retired and living with her husband Burt Kemp in rural North Mississippi, where she continues to enjoy writing, riding horses, and playing the organ for church.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.