Monica Rakunas - Stark Naked

When I first started hearing people at the gym talk about Stark Naked, I thought to myself….someday.  After realizing that people were doing Stark Naked not only to get themselves in better physical condition, but that it was also a great opportunity to set a healthy example for your family while also supporting your favorite charity, I decided someday was now.  

I became aware of The Shea Center through Emily, a hair and make-up artist, whose daughter at the age of two, was diagnosed with a severe form of cerebral palsy.  She couldn’t talk, sit-up or walk.  Emily had enrolled her daughter in The Shea Center and was hopeful that they could provide the resources to improve her quality of life.

Through some research, I discovered The Shea Center is a physical, occupational and speech therapy center that helps not only children, but teens and adults with cerebral palsy, brain injuries, stroke, genetic disorders, autism spectrum disorder and other similar conditions.  I learned that they utilize Hippotherapy (HPOT) - hippo meaning horse, which is used to engage children's sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems to improve impaired strength, posture, alignment, range of motion, cognitive and sensorimotor functions, all through the movement of a horse.  The Physical Therapists then move the children into the gym for traditional therapy to help them learn to walk.

Through the therapy The Shea Center provides, these children show improvement and have much success with their conditions.