Equine Assisted Counseling

What is Equine Assisted Counseling?

Equine Assisted Counseling (HEAC) consists of assessment, treatment planning, and application of evidence-based treatment modalities by a clinically licensed mental health therapist. Treatment modalities available, but are not limited to, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), relational and narrative therapies, and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

Heartland Equine-Assisted Counseling integrates evidence-based mental health treatments while clients are observing and connecting with horses. The interaction with horses provides feedback and mirrors the client’s emotions and behaviors during treatment, allowing for a deeper self-awareness, grounding and mindfulness practice, and a tangible shift of perspective for the client.

During Equine-Assisted Counseling sessions, the Licensed Mental Health Counselor (and PATH Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning) facilitates experiential activities with horses, based on the client’s treatment goals. These activities offer tangible experiences for clients to receive bio-psycho-social feedback from the horse while practicing client’s nervous system regulation and coping skills. The client and therapist then process the experience with the horse within the context of mental health treatment modalities and goals thus establishing self-reflection, expression, insight, and shifts in cognitive perspective.

The Equine-Assisted EMDR Protocol™ also known as EquiLateral™ premiered Equine-Assisted EMDR Therapy (EA-EMDR). Using an experiential approach, EquiLateral™ involves EMDR therapy integrating with equine-assisted interactions to become Equine-Assisted EMDR (EA-EMDR) Therapy. EquiLateral™ also offers the first EMDRIA Approved, manualized, phased, equine-assisted trauma treatment model to be informed by an existing research-based standard of practice in trauma treatment.

Who Can Benefit?

Equine Assisted Counseling, for those aged 8 to adult, reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and traumatic events and teaches new strategies to manage emotions and provide relief and recovery from traumatic memories. Additional benefits of Counseling include managing behaviors, increasing self-confidence, building communication and relationship skills, as well as identity exploration.

Adults and children, couples, and families can benefit from a custom treatment plan. Your therapist will screen you for readiness for equine-assisted counseling and for potential barriers to a safe fit for our facility. If deemed necessary, you may be referred to additional services before being ready to start equine-assisted counseling sessions. Please reach out for a free phone assessment to inquire about your readiness!

Larger group sessions may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis, please reach out for additional information.

Cost of Services

Heartland's Equine Assisted Counseling’s mental health appointments cost $165 (per 60 min). Intake assessment and follow-up sessions are 60 min each. At this time, all counseling services are private-pay and are out of network with insurance companies. You will be provided with a “Superbill” which you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement. We do not send information directly to insurance companies. FSA and HSA cards are accepted.

Please contact us to learn about rates for group Equine Assisted Counseling Sessions.

Contact Information

For registration and questions, please contact our Mental Health Therapist, Andrea Metcalf at Andrea@HTRkc.org or (913)963-0463

Andrea L Metcalf, LSCSW, PMH-C, *EMDR Certified, Consultant-in-Training

Andrea earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, and master’s degree in social work at The University of Kansas. Andrea holds the level of Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Kansas and Missouri. She has extensive experience providing direct patient care in the following settings:

ER Assessment/crisis-intervention

Inpatient psychiatry

Intensive Outpatient Psychotherapy (IOP)

Medical, NICU, and special-needs social work

Private counseling

Equine-assisted counseling and EMDR

Andrea began riding horses at age 5, right here in Kansas City! And became a side-walker and barn volunteer at Heartland in the early 2000s! She later attended William Woods University in Fulton, MO with a focus in equine-management. Andrea’s equine-assisted mental health training is with EAGALA and EquiLateral: Equine-Assisted EMDR, as well as pursuing PATH, Intl. Certification in Equine-Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL)

Andrea has specialty training in anxiety, depression, substance use, and trauma treatment for parents and children. Andrea has a special interest in mental health counseling for Perinatal and Post-Partum families, veteran and first-responders, medical professionals and nursing staff who serve patients with complex medical needs.

Outside of counseling sessions Andrea loves spending time with family, reading, exploring the outdoors and playing with Ralph, their Staffordshire terrier, two rescued barn cats, and her miniature horse Trixie.