We caught up with Equine Director, Michelle “Mickey” Kissell to hear about her Trauma Informed Approaches to Equine Therapy.
“We have been very busy implementing our new Four Session Equine Therapy Program that focuses on past trauma, working through it, and documenting measurable positive outcomes, while giving our clients tranquility and confidence,” says Kissell. “Documentation of our sessions track the progression of our clients' movement in the healing process of their therapy. Our four-week program focus's on specific issues each week, with strategies to engage and connect with the horses.”
Kissell has owned, trained, and competed horses for over 35 years, “I've found my passion and worked very hard to achieve certifications from PATH Intl. and CHA. Both as a Certified Riding Instructor for Riders with Disabilities, along with Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning.” Her passion and focus is clear in the way she creates programming and therapy sessions to build resiliency and trust within her clients. “The positive and measurable results in our clients indicate a significant improvement in their thoughts, emotions, and behavior, when they are physically around the horses, when they return to school, and also when at their dorm,” states Kissell.
There is a progression in the activities the clients do with Mickey and the horses each week. They start with groundwork the first week, with the horse helping them find their inner thoughts and unlock any negative feelings. Week two is about connecting with the horse to achieve peace, comfort, and building relationships. In the third week, the clients are on the back of the horse without a saddle, learning to trust. By the fourth week, the clients are mounted in the saddle with strategic obstacles, props, and movements to achieve confidence and measurable progress toward their treatment goals.
“We have over 100 adolescent girls 12 to 18 years old,” says Mickey. “We are measuring the healing effects of our Equine Therapy Program when added to our facility's Mental Health Therapists' Program. We look forward to sharing our outcomes with you very soon!”
"A Message from Mickey"
Having owned, trained, and competed horses for over 35 years, I've found my passion and worked very hard to achieve certifications from PATH Intl. and CHA. Both as a Certified Riding Instructor for Riders with Disabilities, along with Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning,
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International
(PATH Intl.) is worldwide, they were founded in 1969 and are a 501(c)3 non-profit association. They excel in the advancement of professional equine-assisted services for lifelong impact, by supporting their members through rigorously developed standards, credentialing and education.
The Certified Horsemanship Association is also a 501(c)3 non-profit, established in 1967. CHA certifies equine professionals, accredits equine facilities and provides resources to programs. The mission statement for CHA is to promote excellence in horsemanship safety and education for the entire horse industry.
"After all this time it still amazes me to see the powerful impact horses have on humans. Horses help us to process emotions in a non-verbal way, allowing us to see what's going on within ourselves that we are not always aware of, or might have suppressed inside.
They give our clients strength and confidence to help in their healing.
15801 E Don Carlos Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86315
Referrals: 928-772-4131