ABSTRACT
I am a life-long horsewoman whose passion and deep love for horses began in early childhood. I have ridden most of my life in a variety of disciplines and have owned and cared for many horses over the last several decades. I have been actively practicing, teaching and researching equine-assisted therapies since the early 2000s. I am an associate professor at DePaul University and am also the Founder of a private therapy practice that offers equine-assisted therapies. My hope is that by sharing my journey, I can provide valuable guideposts or insights for those interested in entering this complicated but highly rewarding arena. I want to emphasize that equine-assisted therapies are not a separate profession, but one in which a licensed practitioner partners with an animal in a therapy context within their own therapeutic orientation.
