Anna Gassib Entrepreneur, Equestrian and Empowering Spirit
ANNA GASSIB Biography
Entrepreneur, Equestrian and Empowering Spirit
Anna Gassib is certified in Equine Trauma, Gestalt, and personal coaching. She is also pursuing her master’s degree in Behavioral Health and Traumatology. Her expertise in this field makes her uniquely qualified to guide individuals and groups through life challenges.
Gassib worked as a senior executive at leading financial institutions, including Bank of America. Gassib and others established Bank of America’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Group. In the spirit of entrepreneurialism, Gassib started her own Indian Hills Farm business with a single pony in her backyard in 2004. Since then, Indian Hills Farm has transformed into a thriving equestrian center with two-fold missions to help build small businesses and to improve the quality of life for individuals in need of therapeutic intervention.
Gassib, who resides in Franklin Lakes, traded her high-profile career in finance at organizations like Bank of America for an entrepreneurial opportunity that combined her love of horses with her commitment to helping others. After many years of acquiring struggling stables and making them profitable again, Gassib turned her attention to helping others. Most recently, she assumed what was the defunct Bergen Equestrian Center (BEC) at Overpeck Park in Leonia, New Jersey, and turned it into a profitable business in just one year. At BEC, she established A Stable Life, a program combining her skills as a life coach with equine therapy to empower men, women, and children trying to find the correct path for their lives. The stables are home to more than 70 horses available for lessons, therapy, and trail-riding experiences.
Among the people served by A Stable Life are:
- Individuals are struggling with addiction.
- Children with special needs and behavioral issues.
- Families who cope with mental illness.
- Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Gassib has partnered with organizations throughout Bergen County, including Children’s Aid and Family Services, The Man of War Project for Veterans, Covenant House, Spring House, and other social service agencies that serve these communities. Equine therapy has long been recognized as a meaningful and long-term approach to various mental health and medical issues and has been known to “heal the soul,” an outcome close to Gassib’s heart.
An accomplished dressage equestrian, Gassib understands the importance of discipline and diligence in achieving goals. Helping others is the driving force in her life, and she works tirelessly to provide a complement of services that will place them on a positive path toward recovery and personal success.
Gassib shares her love of horses with her four daughters, trained riders, and equine caretakers. She’s a spitfire with a champion’s personality-driven to success for herself and others around her. Her passion is the driving force of her businesses, and she serves as a model for the entrepreneurial spirit, particularly among women whom she strives to empower.
Gassib received her Bachelor of Science from City University of New York, Dale Carnegie Business Coaching. Certification in the Gestalt Equine Coaching Method, designed to make the horse a more interactive part of a therapy session.
Gassib is passionate about giving back to the community and dedicates her time to helping the Women’s Right Center In Englewood, New Jersey.
For information about the Bergen Equestrian Center and A Stable Life, visit bergenequestrian.com or call (201) 336-3370.
Bonnie Malajian, MSW, ACSW, LCSW Developer and Facilitator, Equine Growth and Learning Programs
Bonnie Malajian MSW ACSW LCSW has over 35 years of clinical experience, providing equine-guided programs for clients who struggle with depression, anxiety disorders, and addictions, at risk behavior, trauma/loss and PTSD. She has facilitated equine- guided therapy and learning programs since 2008, incorporating her lifelong appreciation of the horse-human connection and the need for innovative and effective modalities. “I have witnessed how effective EAP/EAL is for so many populations who may not respond or engage in traditional talk therapy or utilize it as an adjunct modality to enhance their growth.” Bonnie is licensed to provide clinical treatment in NY and NJ and is certified to preform equine programs through The Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) and The Equine Experiential Association (E3A)
Lillian E. Corcoran (Lil), LPC
Lil Corcoran enrolled her now adult daughter in horse riding lessons and barn management programs, when she was a young child. Watching her daughter’s enthusiasm regarding horses got her to start paying more attention to the horse world herself. As a result of hanging around with her daughter, she began to observe the impact “horse work” was having on people. While attending A Stable Life programs at the Bergen Equestrian Center, Lil both witnessed and experienced reflective moments of interactions with humans and horses. Her Counseling skills became a natural fit with her increasing interest in Equine Assisted Therapy Programs. With a Masters in Counseling and a New Jersey Licensed Professional Counselor, Lil became a certified Mental Health Professional in the Eagala model of Equine Assisted Therapy.
Lil is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Women’s Rights Information Center in Englewood. She is a persuasive community educator on topics of violence against women, bullying and discrimination and racism, and has a profound effect on her audiences. She has educated 1,000’s of individuals including Crisis Response Teams; Bergen Community College students, UMDNJ students, faculty and public safety officers; high school students and teachers; medical personnel; businesses; civic groups; and social service professionals.
Known as a domestic violence expert, Lil has a background of working with vulnerable children in residential treatment centers. She was a Substance Abuse specialist with the Bergen County Head Start programs, a domestic violence intake counselor with Alternatives to Domestic Violence, training consultant at UMDNJ and an Adjunct Professor at Bergen Community College, to name a few of her helping profession activities. She has received numerous awards, including a proclamation from the NJ Assembly for her efforts to end domestic violence (2017). She has had numerous television appearances in her various roles.
Due to immense social difficulties such as Covid, war, violence and more, Lil believes that many people are in need of support to grieve. process and heal. Equine therapy has the ability to help people process through immense pain in a short time and its potential to help us all heal brings renewed hope out of despair. She believes that working with compassion, the therapist is as transformed by the experience of the work with clients and horses.
Bergen Equestrian Center and A Stable Life are honored to be hosting a research study for veterans with PTSD using an equine assisted therapy model.
This study is being held in conjunction with the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Columbia University Medical Center. It is being made possible by generous support from the Earl Mack Foundation and the Man O' War Project. Please visit the Man O' War Project website to learn more. For information on how to participate contact anne hilburn @ 646-774-8042.
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