Sisu Psychotherapy and Wellness

09/03/2025

🌿 There’s a new guy in town!🌿

Meet Chase!❤️
For anyone who has been to the barn in the past 2 weeks, you may have seen him. He’s hanging out up in the round pen quarantining to make sure he is healthy before we introduce him to his new herd mates.

‼️if you come to the barn and are waiting for your session to start, please do not touch him due to him being quarantined‼️

Chase is a 3 year old Nokota gelding from The Nokota Horse Conservancy® in North Dakota. His breed has a rich history that I will share at a later date but briefly, they are direct descendants of Native American Chief Sitting Bull’s war ponies! If you’re interested in learning more about them now, you can visit their page or their website https://www.nokotahorse.org

He is semi-feral. What does that mean? It means that while he does have some experience with humans, he has not been domesticated. He spent his life living with his herd on hundreds of fenced in acres. They receive emergency medical care as needed, hay in the winter and are looked after by a herd manager however, they live as horses are designed to: living in herds outside walking miles a day in search of grass and water.

Our world is very new to him and he has been taking it all in stride. He is a very friendly guy and loves people so I am confident he will enjoy his work at SPW. He has a lot to learn so it will be some time before he will be handled by clients but he is always up for saying hello and getting scratches.

We are excited to have him and see what kind of wisdom he will offer to those who meet him!
🌿🤍

08/01/2025

🌿Holding Space for the AND🌿

While I know that it is Friday, let’s pretend for a second that it’s still Thursday. I know, I know. Who wants to do that because most of us look forward to Friday’s but humor me just this once. I want to talk about this week’s theme since it’s a big one and Theme Friday just doesn’t have the same ring.

Thank you 😊
This week, I spoke with a lot of clients who were struggling to make sense of their conflicting emotions: feeling grateful but also being angry, experiencing joy while also feeling sad. I hear a lot of “I don’t know which one is the right thing to feel” thinking that it needs to be one or the other.

Here’s the thing: there are no right or wrong feelings. Period.
You feel what you feel and whatever that is, is absolutely valid.
What we do when we feel any particular feeling is where things can get a little tricky.

So why is this so hard for us to hold space for two opposing emotions at the same time? Well, a big part of it is how our nervous system works. It is designed to keep us SAFE, not happy.
But when we feel safe, we can experience happiness.

So when we have two emotions coming up, it feels threatening to our nervous system because it doesn’t know which one it should give it’s attention to. The one we give attention to is the one that is going to grow and what we are prepping to take action over.

Guess which one usually wins?
The one that is the most uncomfortable.

Another reason is because our brain processes in layers. When we feel safe, all parts of our brain are firing. The more distressed we become, the more sections shut down and the first to go offline is our prefrontal cortex which is responsible for logical thinking. Our limbic system tends to stay active the longest which is our emotional center and responsible for fight/flight/freeze/fawn. So, since we lose our ability to critically think, our brain will choose to focus on the emotion that is the most threatening so it can work to eradicate the stress: enter Anxiety.
Ever heard of her?

Now that you have a better understanding of what is happening, what can you do?
Something I’ve been offering and practicing with clients this week utilizing CBT is utilizing “and”.

That sounds something like:
“A part of me feels stressed and another part of me is also excited about this experience”
“This feels hard and I am proud of how far I’ve come”
“I am sad because I miss them and also feel relieved I don’t have the challenges of the relationship”
Both things can be true for you at the same time.

Practicing reframing to using “and” and also identifying that a part of you feels x and a part of you feels y can be helpful instead of looking at you as a whole.

Give this some thought on where you might be struggling to hold space for more than one emotion and give this a try to see how it feels.
It may feel challenging and you can do hard things.
🤍

07/18/2025

🌿The Push-Pull of Visibility 🌿

This week, a theme was evident among quite a few of my sessions: wanting to feel seen but when we are seen, feeling uncomfortable about it. They expressed a desire for people to truly know them but then, were afraid to be authentically themselves.

Some of those thoughts might sound like:
✨ "I want you to notice me, but please don’t look too closely."
✨ "I want to share, but I’m afraid of what you’ll think."
✨ "I crave belonging, but I hide the parts of me I’m most ashamed of."

This inner conflict is more common than we often realize. It’s the product of past experiences, protective parts of ourselves, and a nervous system that’s learned to be cautious.

Healing doesn’t mean choosing one side of the dichotomy - it means holding space for both truths:
You deserve to be seen gently, safely, and fully
And it’s okay to be scared of that, too

Therapy can be the place where you practice being seen — slowly, and on your terms.

If this resonates with you, know you're not the only one navigating this tender space. And you're already doing the work by noticing it.
🤍

06/23/2025

🚨Equine sessions are canceled for the next 3 days

All sessions will be held in my office or virtually. It is unsafe for both horses and humans to be outside and/or working with the extreme heat for the duration of a session.

The horses are all inside with plenty of hay standing in front of their fans. They will be hosed down and provided fresh, cool water with added electrolytes throughout the day.

Make sure you stay cool and hydrated too!😎💦

06/23/2025

🌿Horse Highlight!🌿

Meet Rudy!
Rudy is a 13 year old chesnut Appendix horse who stands at 15’2hh. An appendix is a cross between a Quarter Horse and a Thoroughbred however, they are considered their own breed. The color chestnut is a horse that has a reddish-brown body with a mane and tail that matches. It is also sometimes called sorrel.

I brought Rudy home 1 year ago today! I got him so I could (mostly) retire Dually as my riding horse and to work in my equine assisted psychotherapy program, if he wanted to. He is a very friendly guy who always like to be involved in whatever is going on.

After purchasing him, I discovered he had some physical discomforts which I have been working diligently at helping him heal. As a result, I didn’t feel as though he felt well enough to be active in sessions. He is currently being treated for Lyme in hopes that it will help relieve some of his aches and pains and in turn, he may be open to doing some sessions!

He is a sensitive guy but doesn’t show it in traditional ways. I am told often by my clients that he gives “mixed signals”, which is true. When he is comfortable and connected with a person, he loves snuggling and being involved in whatever you’re doing. He also loves naps. Lots and lots of naps. He is best friends with Dually but seems to be the social butterfly. He is always going over to the horses in the other paddocks to see what they’re doing and to say hello. He never turns down an opportunity for investigation.

I am so grateful to have Rudy here as part of the SPW herd! I have hopes that he will chose a few clients of his own to work with when he’s feeling a bit better. Otherwise, if you ever come to the barn, you’ll probably see him sticking his head out from the end of the aisle checking out who just walked in! We love you Rudy!
🤍🐴

06/15/2025

This Father’s Day, we celebrate the many roles that fathers, father figures, and caregivers play in our lives. Whether you’re a biological father, stepfather, adoptive dad, pet dad, mentor, or someone filling that space with love and guidance—you matter.

We also recognize that this day can bring up a range of emotions: joy, gratitude, grief, longing, or unresolved feelings. Your experience is valid, and your story matters.

Whether you’re celebrating, remembering, or healing—we see you
🌿🤍

06/13/2025

🌿 Horse Highlight!🌿

Since I do not know his birthday, I decided to introduce Odin on the day I met him (it was actually June 10th but who’s counting?)

So everyone, meet Odin! He is a roughly 13yo red roan quarter horse gelding who was originally purchased from a sale barn. It is believed that he came from a ranch somewhere out west.

I met him in 2022 when I interviewed for a position with an equine assisted psychotherapy program. I was immediately drawn to him, partly because he is so handsome, but also because of his steadiness. He just has this way about him. Anyone who’s met him could attest to this.

Throughout my time with this agency, he was my go-to. He worked with small children who had Autism all the way to older clients with dementia. He was the steady eddy and took everything in stride. I was heart broken when I made the decision to leave the agency however, was contacted at the end of 2024 to see if I would like to have him. Of course I said yes!

He has something to offer everyone. His only request is for people to be respectful of his space. Odin is wonderful for clients who are new to horses and require a horse who knows their job and does it well. It is so cool to watch him show up for different clients in different ways, and it’s always exactly what they needed.

He is best friends with Tucker and is a leader of his herd. He loves alfalfa and peppermints. He unfortunately has a condition called Sweet Itch, which is a hypersensitivity to the saliva from bugs, leaving him to be very itchy during the warmer months. As a result, he is always covered head to toe in fly gear to help protect his skin. One of the fastest ways to win him over is to scratch his bug bites though😉

Odin is an essential part of our team here at SPW and I am so glad he got to join us. He has helped so many people and I find great joy in watching him continue to do so.
🤍

06/03/2025

📚”If the lack of emotional connection with emotionally immature parents is so painful, why do so many people end up in similarly frustrating relationships? The most primitive parts of our brain tell us that safety lies in familiarity (Bowlby, 1979)." — Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD.

If this resonates with you, you're not alone—and you don’t have to unpack it alone either.

Join us for Ink & Insight, a therapeutic book club led by two licensed therapists - myself and LLeigh Gocklin, LCSW Psychotherapy and Wellness We’ll explore the patterns we carry, how they’ve shaped us, and what healing can look like when we begin to choose differently.

💬 Safe conversation
🧠 Guided reflection
🌱 Growth with support
🔹 Limited spots available

Message us to learn more or to reserve your spot! The deadline to sign up is June 25th!

Send a message to learn more

05/30/2025

Self-care is important, amirite?🌿

We talk about it extensively in our sessions.
But what even is it?

Self-care is the practice of taking deliberate actions to maintain or improve your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It’s about recognizing your needs and making choices that support your overall health—whether that's rest, nourishment, connection, physical support or boundaries.

🍕Sometimes self-care looks like a face mask and pizza on the couch on Friday night.
🫂Sometimes it’s having dinner with a family member you haven’t seen in a while that brings you joy
😮‍💨Other times it’s getting that task done that’s been lingering over you for weeks.
💆🏼‍♀️Massages, exercise, food for your heart or food for your body.
You get the point. It comes in all shapes and sizes and it’s all essential.

Our horses need self-care too!
Some more than others and what self-care is for each individual is different, just like humans.

One of our horses, Rudy, practiced one of his self-care activities today: getting a chiropractic adjustment by our amazing chiropractor Integrative Veterinary Services . She even travels all the way from CT to see us!

Did you know horses have chiropractors too? It’s common that horses’ skeletons are misaligned which can impact their comfort and performance. Rudy struggles with letting go of tension in his body. We have found that he feels much better once his bones are all back in place!

Dr. Zahn has been instrumental in helping Rudy’s body feel his best and we always love our chiro days! He took a nice nap after she left.

💭What are your forms of self-care? When was the last time you engaged in them? If you are feeling exhausted and burnt out, it might be time to explore them again and notice how you feel!
(Today would be great day to start — it’s finally not raining 🙌🏻😉)
🤍🌿

05/27/2025

✨REMINDER✨

We still have room for people who are interested in exploring how their relationship, or lack thereof, with their parents has impacted them without having to attend individual weekly therapy.

Join us for our summer bi-weekly therapeutic book club to discover how to navigate these challenges. Even though it’s not “therapy”, it’s led by 2 seasoned therapists who assist clients with these situations daily. So it’s like going to therapy, without going to therapy😉

A lot of the information is in the flyer below but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or Leigh Gocklin, LCSW Psychotherapy and Wellness!
🌿🤍

05/26/2025

Today we pause to remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. Memorial Day is a time of reflection, gratitude and, for many, complex emotions.

Whether you’re a veteran, a loved one or someone who feels the impact of the unseen costs of service, know that we see you.

We honor your story.
We remember your sacrifice.
Every day, but especially today.
🤍🇺🇸

05/22/2025

Everyone wish Dually a Happy 27th Birthday!🥳

If you’ve been to the barn, you’ve probably met this guy. He’s one of the first ones to stick his head out to say hello (or see if you have snacks)

I have owned and loved Dually for almost 11 years now, way before I started facilitating Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. He just so happened to really enjoy and fall into his role working with clients!

Dually is an American Quarter Horse and is registered with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and his registered name is “Dun Ben Dude”. His color is called dun. They are similar in color to buckskin horses, which most people are familiar with, but are genetically different. As you may notice if you follow along, his color changes throughout the year so sometimes it can be hard to recognize him!

He was bred to be a cow horse and is originally from Tennessee. His great grand parents are in the AQHA Hall of Fame! In his younger years before I got him, he used to work cows and be in rodeos, however, he spent most of his life as a trail horse and being spoiled.

Now at 27, he spends most of his days hanging out with his herd mates and his “brothers”. When he’s not doing that, he is probably shaking someone down for snacks or getting loved on by his people.

He is the funniest, smartest, most resilient and sensitive boy and we are so lucky to have him as part of our crew!

Don’t worry, as per his usual birthday wish, he got lots of snacks including cupcakes, peppermints and oranges.

Happy birthday Dually!💙