About Us

TRAUMA-INFORMED COACHING, MANAGING MEMBER

Amanda is a lifetime equestrian who helps people achieve connection with themselves and others through nature, animals, and experiential learning. She is a mentor utilizing coaching for mental wellness from a trauma-informed perspective. Amanda serves as an Equine-Assisted Services Practitioner, but also uses other approaches to guide clients toward wellness and joy. Her passion is partnering with folks to help them clarify aspirations or goals. She is a guide to befriending inner parts that inhibit or support wellness, creativity, and success.

Her achievements include a Master of Science in Counseling specializing in clinical mental health, and a graduate certification in Equine-Assisted Mental Health Services. She has corporate and nonprofit experience, is an Eponaquest Instructor, a consultant, and possesses various equine-related certificates in coaching, learning, horsemanship, and other modalities.

She currently directs the continuing development of Wild Places Farm, and contributes her services to Youth Villages kids at River Run Farm in northwest Nashville and Heroes & Horses Healing for war veterans in Middle Tennessee. Her life-long interest in human and animal behaviors and her personal experiences in equine interactions motivate her service to others.

“My Master of Science in Counseling degree allows me to: 1) Frame unregulated coaching and equine-assisted techniques upon the standards and ethics training of an advanced mental health degree 2) Operate with a clear scope of practice 3) Focus my services on neuroscience-based and empirically supported methods. These concepts provide a solid structure and foundation that allow me to operate with integrity from a place of intrinsic strength and experience while utilizing the borrowed wisdom of animals.” ~Amanda

PSYCHOTHERAPY, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR

Dede is a professional counselor in practice for over 30 years. She holds a masters degree in Human Development Counseling from Vanderbilt University. She was among the first practitioners to be certified by the Certification Board for Equine Interactive Professionals as an equine-assisted psychotherapist.

Dede’s Experiential Equine Counseling model is a blend of traditional equine-assisted psychotherapy philosophies and methodologies combined with her unique talents and skills as an experiential counselor. Her training in developmental psychology and the work of Albert Pesso and Diane Borden (psychomotor therapy) strongly influence her model. She developed and implemented programs as the primary therapist for several treatment centers in Tennessee, and has a well established private practice.

Dede is a long-term colleague and Amanda’s mentor. During the last decade they worked and trained together utilizing equine-assisted services, as well as serving veterans in the program led by Dede at HHHVets in Middle Tennessee.

"Helping clients to feel safe is always my top priority. Without safety, there is no healing"

“People who value intellect above all else are often surprised to learn that the horse might know something about them that they have yet to discover for themselves.”  ~ Dede

Dedetherapy.com

MARKETING, EQUINE SPECIALIST IN MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING (PATH, INT’L)

Rebecca, a Maryland native based in Nashville/ Franklin, TN since 2000, is an accomplished arts and music marketer, writer, photographer, and Equine Specialist. With a Master of Science in Marketing Communications from Johns Hopkins University, she excels in marketing strategy, branding, media relations, and creative solutions for arts, entertainment, wellness, and nonprofits. Since becoming certified as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning by PATH, Int'l in 2012, Rebecca provides experiential learning with horses in therapeutic environments, fostering human growth and positive change. She works with individuals, corporate teams, at-risk youth, active-duty military and veterans, and addiction recovery programs. Sage Horse LLC, her company, creates partnerships and programs that support these populations, while also assisting with the promotional and fundraising efforts of organizations in the equine-assisted services field. Becky, Dede, and Amanda have worked together for the past decade serving veterans at HHHVets events and collaborate on many other equine-assisted services projects. Becky also volunteered for therapeutic riding and EAL programs at Saddle Up!, Take the Reins, and White Fawn Farm over the past ten years.

“Horses provide us a grounding point, a place of solitude and reflection, and awaken what is most authentic inside us. Partnering with a horse and learning what they need in the process can also challenge us, and provide experiences of connection, joy, and inspiration. They show us a path forward towards healing and growth, while the horse benefits from the engagement. I love creating these transformative experiences for others." ~Rebecca Rebecca Bauer