Marcy Tocker

MA, NCC, EAGALA, FOUNDER OF GREY MUZZLE MANOR

BY SARAH MATARELLA

PHOTO BY JOHN A. SECOGES, SECOGES PHOTOGRAPHICS

Empathy, acceptance and support are three values that Marcy Tocker embodies at work, at home and through her nonprofit, Grey Muzzle Manor. She fulfills her long-standing passion to help others as a therapist, a foster mom and an entrepreneur.

Q:How did Grey Muzzle Manor come to fruition?

I’ve been involved in animal rescue and welfare, particularly senior animals and animals with special needs, for quite a while. There are shifts in our life all the time, and I had a shift… it was the next step to be able to continue to do that. Initially, it started off as a senior animal hospice and adoption center, but one of the things important to me was helping people to keep their pets and helping families stay together through different community outreach services such as helping someone feed their animal, provide pet supplies or paying a pet deposit at an apartment.

Q: How has Grey Muzzle Manor evolved from that initial stage?

We have the Safer Program that provides support for animals in families in recovery. We are able to, on a case-by-case basis, place those animals in foster care while their family member goes in for any treatment they may need such as surgery, drug and alcohol treatment, inpatient mental health treatment, escaping domestic violence, etc. where the goal is reunification. We also bring animals in that other rescues wouldn’t want. I want everybody to know that they matter and know that they are important. These are animals and individuals in our own community, and it’s our responsibility to look out for each other. Sometimes we think we are more different than we actually are, and I just want to continue to help people and animals to know that they matter.

Q: What do you do to fill your own cup outside of your work and foster parent responsibilities?

It’s important to have creativity in your life in some way. Brené Brown says, “Unused creativity is not benign.” It’s the same reason that I use play and art in therapy because it’s free time for your brain. I like to do puzzles, build with Legos®, play board games, as well as be outside with my animals. I try to do those things as much as I can to replenish a little. People say “I don’t know how you do it,” and I’m constantly trying to learn and reign it in.

Q:What’s next for Grey Muzzle Manor this year?

I have a book full of ideas. I would like to focus on growing equine-assisted psychotherapy and fighting the stigma of mental health struggles and seeking mental health treatment. I also want to grow hippotherapy, an equineassisted riding model where a physical therapist is part of the team and all of the sessions are based upon the individual’s needs such as cerebral palsy, autism, etc. This type of therapy is typically used when nothing else seems to be working and parents and families don’t know what to do. It often gets them somewhere. I want people to learn about it through word of mouth, local referrals and by working collaboratively with other therapists and small businesses.

Learn More

Banding together. Join forces with Marcy and discover how you or your organization can partner with Grey Muzzle Manor or make a donation at greymuzzlemanor.com.

Animals are healers. Animal-assisted psychotherapy and equineassisted psychotherapy can help with a variety of mental health disorders as well as stress, relationship building, self-esteem and more.