Meet Ellie Laks

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ellie Laks a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ellie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I found my purpose from animals! They have always seen, heard, and loved me. They have saved me in my darkest of times, encouraged me to keep going, and made me feel wanted. Because they have always been here for me since i was a child, i have always wanted to dedicate my life to them. It was animals that helped me through the challenges of growing up. It was animals who have healed my deepest wounds. It was animals who set me on my path to found The Gentle Barn, write my books, and do animal communication for clients all over the world, and it was animals who taught me about cow hug therapy.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am an animal communicator. I use my gifts to heal our rescued animals at The Gentle Barn, and also help clients remotely from all over the world have a deeper relationship with their own animals. I help people and their animals with behavioral issues, health issues, and fear issues. I assist animals of all kinds to connect more deeply with their people and the world around them. I have been able to hear animals speak to me since i was a small child and am grateful to have used my gifts ever since to help even more animals.

I am very excited about the release of my new book, Cow Hug Therapy! My first book, My Gentle Barn was about my childhood and how animals saved me, why i wanted to dedicate my life to saving animals, creating my dream, learning from our founding animals, healing our first groups of hurting humans, finding my partner, and joining forces to expand our mission. My second book, Cow Hug Therapy is a deeper dive into the stories of some of our animals, how they have healed us, and what they have to teach us all about self care, compassion fatigue, animal communication, gratitude, and surrender. Cow Hug Therapy is also about our very unique brand of healing that our rescued animals extole to hurting humans once they are ready.

From the way our animals celebrate birth, honor death, grieve loss, practice self care, and stand in their own certainty, theri lessons are for everyone, and everyone will find inspiration from my new book and their stories.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I have always listened to my own intuition. Developing and maintaining my intuition helped me know what animals needed, wanted, and felt, allowing me to know what to do to help. This allowed me to be more impactful in my work at The Gentle Barn and out in the world. In our culture, we have not been taught to listen to our own intuition. In school we are told to sit down, be quiet, and listen to someone else who knows better than we do. As adults we need to find ourselves and return to what we knew as children. We need to get to know ourselves, trust ourselves, and develop that still, small voice inside of ourselves. When we do that, we will remember who we are, why we are here, and what are our gifts.

Meditation has helped me learn how to be instead of do, listen instead of make noise, and listen to myself instead of search for answers outside of myself. It has helped me find peace, knowledge, and self acceptance. Even meditating five minutes each morning can change the course of your day for the better.

In my new book, Cow Hug Therapy, i write a lot about compassion fatigue which affects anyone who is a caregiver in any capacity. Learning how to recognise compassion fatigue and heal through it has allowed me to stay strong, determined, and move forward to do even more for animals and humans. The healer always need those who they can turn to for strength and comfort. Find healers or therapists you can count on and have their number handy, reach out for help when you are in trouble, and allow time to recover so that you can continue sharing your gifts and talents with the world.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When i feel overwhelmed i hug a cow! Cow hug therapy is a very unique brand of healing that requires no words or thought. i put my face on their shoulder, close my eyes, breath slowly in and out, hear their heartbeat and slow down my own to match theirs, rise and fall with their breathing, and feel safe against their huge, warm, nurturing, protective frame. My mind is completely clear of thought or worry, i feel humble, open, and vulnerable. That is where healing starts! Cow hugging helps loneliness, greif, anxiety, depression, and stress. It is not something that you need to think or speak throuhgm it is something that you feel and it leaves you feeling stronger and more hopeful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gentlebarn.org and www.ellielaks.com
• Instagram: @ellielaks and @thegentlebarn
• Facebook: @ellielaks and @thegentlebarn
• Youtube: @thegentlebarn
• Other: Tick Tock: @thegentlebarn