Search - Green Chimneys on DVD

The "Nuts and Bolts" of Animal Assisted Therapy - a MUST HAV

Lisette Depew-Kubie | Brewster, NY | 12/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We've all seen the 3 minute "human interest" segments on our local news station touting the healing benefits of human-animal interactions, whether it's pet visits to nursing homes and hospitals, kids reading to dogs to help their stuttering, or prisoners being profoundly affected by working with wild horses or dogs. It's all good, but "Green Chimneys" goes FAR beyond the surface and shows the viewer the day-to-day struggles of residents, staff and their families as they work to heal very troubled young children utilizing animal assisted therapy on a 160 acre farm with 300+ abused/neglected farm animals and wildlife, psychotherapy, special education and millieu treatment. The film makers shadowed the lives of 3 young boys at the world-renowned residential treatment center in Brewster, NY for nearly 2 years of filming. Unprecidented personal access was granted by family members and the professionals at Green Chimneys -- ground breaking and not always easy to witness. This is a very real, sometimes heartbreaking view into what it is to be a child caught up in the foster care/residental treatment system in New York State. There are moments of great joy and laughter.....as well as dispair and disappointment. It is real life as it happened. They don't sugar coat it, nor do they exploit, in any way, what was witnessed by their cameras. "Green Chimneys" is a beautiful film....a must see for anyone believing that there are good people out here doing good work to help children and animals to heal each other. Dr. Samuel B. Ross, Jr., who founded Green Chimneys in 1947 (when he was only 19!!) still works and lives on campus... going strong in his 70's!

As a former employee and witness to the making of this extraordinary film, I can tell you that what James Miller and Constance Marks have created (along with the rest of their creative team) has become an industry-wide training tool for professionals in the field of juvenile rehabilitation, animal assisted therapy and activities, social work, residental care and a variety of other therapeutic modalities. I strongly recommend this ground-breaking, sensitive, insightful film."

From a former resident...

C. MARTIN | Matawan, NJ | 06/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"from 1988 to 1993 i was a resident at green chimneys school. having been there as a student i have to say that they are very caring individuals working there. the campus is absoulutely beautiful and the staff members are absolutely fabulous and dedicated. the animal assisted therapy is very helpful. if u can care for a horse you can care for a human being is the lesson i believe is supposed to be learned. more important it is about carring about yourself. my creativity was nurtured there. (it was at GCS that i discovered my talent for writing poetry... even won the national peace garden essay contest there.) heck i even picked up the violin there. when i play now it sounds like a dying cat but... as i ramble..
i doubt anyone from the time i was there is still around and in this picture but i gave it 5 stars because i know what it is about having been there first hand... glen johnson, gerald weir, steve leezon, linda meile (prob not spelling the names right) and good old Dr. ross and haggus his lil terrier (i used to walk him for the doc) anyways... being "in the trenches" as it were it is nice to see a positive piece of my past memorialized on DVD. rest assured i will purchase this and cherish it for years to come. and i wanna personally say to any staff member that may be reading this and remembers me, chris martin, thanks for the life lessons you taught me and i am sorry for being such a terror. lol!"

GREEN CHIMMNEYS, QUIET GEM

Y. Zeldis Mcdonough | 12/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A powerful, moving and even redemptive documentary. The interwoven stories about children at serious risk and the animals who help to heal them are sensitively and beautiully handled. Not all the stories end happily, but by the film's end, we come to care deeply about the children, and are profoundly invested in their ultimate fate. I cannot recommend this film highly enough and think it would be suitable it for a wide range of audiences."