I grew up in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. I fell in love with horses at age 2, begging to ride a pony at a local carnival without my mother holding my hand. When I was 9, I would spend all day the barn doing chores in exchange for free riding time. The journey that led me to start S.T.E.P.S. With Horses really began the day Cowman arrived at the barn. He had a reputation for being strong willed and uncooperative. I believed he was just misunderstood. At the time, I often felt very misunderstood by my parents, so Cowman and I had something in common. Every day, I would sit in Cowman's stall and groom him for hours as I told him all my troubles. Cowman and I soon bonded. When I would leave the stall, he would often grab the back of my shirt and pull me back in. Over the next few months, some interesting things started to happen. My relationship with my parents began to improve and Cowman started to cooperate with other riders. Cowman and I had formed a mutually beneficial bond that improved the quality of life for both of us.
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I am a Fort Worth native raised in Benbrook. I enlisted into the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1996, rising to the rank of sergeant. I was called to active duty and deployed with VMGR-234 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II in 2004. I was honorably discharged in 2005 and will be forever proud to be a US Marine. To further my equine education, I worked with a local cutting horse trainer to learn how to get horses started under saddle. I have also worked cattle in west Fort Worth and even taken a trip to New Mexico in 2012 riding and working cattle in the mountains. My latest experience began in 2014 when I started serving as an Equine Specialist for Equine Connection Counseling.
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At STEPS, I serve in the role of Equine Manager, Equine Specialist, and Therapeutic Riding Instructor. I work with all disciplines helping to build confidence in both the horse and the client. I am a CHA IRD clinic staff, CHA standard certified, and a PATH CTRI/Mentor and ESMHL certified. I am committed to strengthening the equine-assisted services industries and enjoy mentoring and training new professionals.
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I grew up in Arkansas where my love for nature and animals started. I moved to Texas six years ago to pursue my undergraduate and graduate degree from University of North Texas. My love for working with horses and clients started as I took a role of a therapeutic riding instructor. I watched how the relationship between horses and their riding partners could flourish physical, mental and emotional benefits. When I discovered the possibility to work with them in a mental health capacity, I found my passion in life that combined helping people and getting to connect with these amazing creatures. I pursed my Masters of Rehabilitation Counseling and took an internship facilitating Animal Assisted Counseling and Equine Assisted Counseling. I currently am a PATH certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, and LPC-Associate.
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I recently graduated with my MS degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Memphis. I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and always knew this place had a special place in my heart. I have grown up with constant exposure to horses but did not pursue any lessons until graduate school. I have always known I wanted to tie animals into mental health but was never quite sure how to do it. Coming upon this field has changed my life for the better. I was a trail guide at Shelby Farms Park throughout the duration of my courses in Memphis and noticed that the days I was able to be around the horses, and simply spend time practicing my horsemanship skills, I was slowly showing confidence in other areas of my life. I was also noticing I was becoming more patient in my studies and in other stressful areas of my life. I believe animals have the ability to sense human emotion and that emotion can reach deep inside and touch people in their soul. If you can connect, you can start a new journey whether it is healing, love, comfort, decreased stress and or anxiety.
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Sam is originally from Georgia and grew up as an Army Brat. Shortly after graduating high school in Savannah, she joined the Army. Once that chapter was complete, Sam transitioned out of the field and into the classroom earning her B.A in Psychology in Naples, Florida. She is currently a counseling intern attending Nova Southeastern University. Her military service has given her a deep understanding of the challenges and trauma that can come with that experience, providing her with the empathy and insight to connect on a more profound level. She understands the importance of trauma-focused care, and is dedicated to helping clients heal and overcome the challenges they face. Ultimately she is dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals and improve their lives.
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Lauryn is a Texas native and have had a passion for equines since she was a little girl. She was a bit anxious as a child but through connecting with horses in her youth, she gained confidence and the ability to apply that confidence throughout the rest of her life. She also has a passion for the mind, especially the mind when it is affected by trauma. She is fascinated by the ways we choose to cope with trauma and how the body and brain interact to help us survive adverse experiences.
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I was born and raised on the East Coast, just outside of Boston, MA. My mom enrolled me and my sister in horseback riding camp when I was only 5 years old, and I've been on the back of a horse ever since! My mother became a horseback riding instructor and I got to tag along and spend all day, every day at the barn. I got my first horse, a 5-year-old sorrel mare named Dyman when I was 8 years old. We brought her down to Texas in 2007 when we moved and my friends even convinced me to try barrel racing, which didn't last too long. During my time as an undergrad pursuing my love of music at Southwestern University, I took a Psychology course and was immediately hooked. Since it was too late to change my degree, I graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music.
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I was born and raised in North Carolina and will always feel most at home when in the Appalachian Mountains. I moved to Fort Worth in 2019 and have enjoyed building a home here as I have pursued a career in counseling. My love for nature and animals goes hand-in-hand as they have both taught me how interconnected we all are. One of my fondest memories during what was a hard time in my life is hiking hundreds of miles along the coast of England alongside the wild horses that live there. They became peaceful and steady companions for me along the cliffs of the coast.
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Mailing AddressP.O. Box 123737
Fort Worth, TX 76121 |
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