Chris Goodall, LISW-S
Chris has 20 years of experience as a social worker, 15 years of which have included providing Equine Assisted Services to clients with a range of needs including addiction and serious mental illness. She has trained in a number of evidence-based psychotherapies that can be applied in the office or the arena and is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. She is currently a member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl) and part of the Human Equine Relational Development (HERD) Institute.
People often call seeking riding lessons for their children. While this is a service that we provide, all of our services are based on individual goals to improve mental health. We meet those goals through interactions with the horses that help to develop a healthy relationship, establish clear communication, increase awareness of non-verbal communication and social cues, teach empathy and seek connection. Horses are our partners in this work. We respect their space and meet their needs just as we respect those of our staff and clients. In this space, our horses and clients often establish their bond on the ground through activities that explore boundaries, expectations, being in the here and now, and matching internal and external intentions. People and horses are most comfortable establishing trusting relationships when all feet are on the ground and when given a choice to engage or not.
Once a client has established a bond with a horse we may decide as a team (client, horse, staff) that riding is the next step. Riding sessions may not look like a typical riding lesson. We will continue to work on the skills we established on the ground, exploring them in a different way from the back of the horse. Riding at In Step With Horses is about establishing connection and feel. It encourages clients to notice when their internal and external intention matches and to focus on how their body influences the horse’s body. This connection helps a client understand healthy relationships, boundaries, trust, emotional regulation, agency, and purpose. Many of our clients do not ride, and that is absolutely okay.
Our ground program establishes the powerful understanding of relationship between the client, staff and horse. While the thought of riding a horse is thrilling and exciting for many, our process is designed to support our clients in achieving their goals in a positive and safe way. We encourage you to be open to exploring a deeper connection and trust the process. We think you’ll be glad you did.
