When I was studying in college, I was most interested in neuropsychology, neuroscience, learning and memory, and the evolution of gender differences. I’m very passionate about the biological processes that affect our emotions cognition, learning/memory, and self-identification. I eventually worked as a group facilitator at a structured day program for people with brain injuries. I was so excited to be able to focus on my educational passion in neurobiology.
I am also passionate about mindfulness-based stress reduction, and pet therapy. Many years ago, in the late 80’s before pet therapy was common, I was teaching a young man who was riding my horse and I noticed that my horse was behaving in ways that I’ve never seen before. This rider also shared with me that he was bipolar, I was impressed that my horse was mirroring his body. I worked with him to calm himself and maintain mindfulness which helped him not only in his riding ability but also off the horse.
This experience lead to my internship at green chimneys in New York where they were utilizing horses for hippotherapy and counseling. There was a young boy who was autistic and he never made eye contact but through the use of the horses, one day he put his head against mine so we were nose to nose and this lasted about 30 seconds. When I turned to his mother she was crying because she said he had never done anything like that before. In that moment, I understood my purpose was to make a difference for others.
As a horseback riding instructor, I created a program that I called mindfulness riding. I helped riders to be present in the moment, reduce their fear and find their flow in their sport. Again, this was before 2000 before this modality was used extensively.
I was lucky to take many workshops with Jon Kabat-Zinn back in the 90’s and this has helped me to help not only myself but also my clients to embody awareness, emotional regulation, build trust, improve communication, grounding and presence.
I take pride in forming meaningful, long-term connections with my clients. Many return over the years when they face new challenges, and some have remained in touch for over two decades. I’ve often been described as the “neighborhood mom”—a warm, grounding presence that people trust when life feels unstable.
Clients often tell me they feel deeply understood in our work together. I honor each person’s unique journey and help them move from survival toward a life with meaning, connection, and joy