Dr. Cunningham is an experienced counselor, coach, and entrepreneur who founded Lucky's Farm Animal Rescue.
CANYON, TX, November 18, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Judy Evalyn Cunningham, EdD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Cunningham celebrates many years' experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Cunningham is an experienced counselor, coach, and entrepreneur who founded Lucky's Farm Animal Rescue, a registered corporation in Illinois in 2021. As an animal rescue facility that has seen incredible success over the past year, Dr. Cunningham, and her horses, all of whom were rescued and suffered their own struggles of survival, are now helping others by offering a unique type of treatment called equine psychotherapy. This type of therapy, which is becoming more and more popular throughout the world, involves the horse's natural ability to read body language to help and heal those suffering from various mental health challenges.
Recognized as a qualified positive psychology coach and certified practitioner of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), Dr. Cunningham and her horses spend one-hour, one-on-one sessions with clients to help them naturally relieve stress and feel a sense of comfort in their presence. Notably a nonprofit organization, the EAGALA was designed to help adults with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disease, and other ailments, as well as children with various personal development issues. Established in 1999, it has become wildly popular and can now be found in 40 different countries and is continuously growing.
Dr. Cunningham's love for horses began to take place while coming of age. Having spent a lot of time in the country as a child of farmers, she spent a great deal of her free time with the animals. As she grew older, she became more involved with horses and training animals and even tried out for the 1980 Olympics in the dressage category. Prior to transitioning into equine therapy, Dr. Cunningham spent a decade in education as both an elementary school teacher and administrator for the Rockford Public School District in Rockford, Illinois. She subsequently became a counselor and began working with at-risk students and created various programs that allowed them to be successful in a non-traditional way. Additionally, she garnered experience as a therapist for the Janet Wattles Center in Rockford and a private practice therapist in Broadstep, Illinois, working with autistic patients between the ages of eight and 25. After 40 years as a counselor, Dr. Cunningham learned that she could really make a difference by incorporating her passion for horses into therapy.
As an extension of her career, Dr. Cunningham has become a frequent speaker on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She is the author of three books, including "Colors of a Junior High Intervention Program" and has been a contributor to the Illinois Counselor Magazine. During an earlier stage of her career, Dr. Cunningham gained experience presenting before various regional educational conferences and was a consultant for the Illinois 4-H program in Urbana, Illinois.
Civically, Dr. Cunningham is avid about participating in local initiatives that serve worthy causes. She has been a youth leader for Church and 4-H in Rockford since 1965 and has been a member of the Starlight Community Theatre in Rockford since 1988.
In preparation for her career, Dr. Cunningham studied at Northern Illinois University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1969, followed by a Master of Science in education in 1972 and a Doctor of Education in 1997. Furthermore, Dr. Cunningham maintains certification as a positive psychology coach through EAGALA, which included having to pass strict hands-on training, assessment, and ongoing mentorship requirements.
To remain aware of developments in her field, Dr. Cunningham is a professional member of the EAGALA, the National Counselors Association, and the Illinois Counselors Association. She is also a member of the Alpha Chi Omega, Pi Lambda Theta, and Kappa Delta Pi.
Dr. Cunningham was a 1981 Colors of Leadership Alumni State Award recipient.
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