Bloom Empowerment & Heartland Equine-Assisted Counseling

07/25/2025

Just finished Part 1….already-WOAH!! The INSIGHT, the background, the accuracy, education, and research woven in…THIS BOOK IS POWERFUL!

07/23/2025

Interested in becoming a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning to work alongside licensed mental health professionals as the equine's advocate in psychotherapy, incorporating equine sessions? Consider joining this upcoming ESMHL Workshop and Skills Test! Learn more here: https://loom.ly/CMYx3sg.

07/22/2025

Heartland Therapeutic Riding’s Horsemanship Camp is a week-long day camp for children ages 6-14 with special needs. The campers are divided into small groups allowing them to rotate through the following stations and experiences: Riding, horse care and management, crafts, and inclusive games and a...

07/11/2025

Our latest Focal Point blog post is out! Healing in Motion: Insights from Equine-Assisted EMDR with a Youth https://www.emdria.org/blog/healing-in-motion-insights-from-equine-assisted-emdr-with-a-neurodivergent-youth/

07/10/2025

07/10/2025

The European Scientific Journal published my article today titled “EquiLateral: The Equine Assisted EMDR Protocol, DBR Therapy, and Animal Assisted Interweaves.” I am incredibly grateful to all of you who have supported this work and continue to partner with your clients and animals to bring a sense of healing and connection into the world.

The article explores the significant role of animals in healing complex trauma, specifically through EMDR and DBR, using a case study as an example. I am always in awe of the privilege it is to share in others’ healing journeys through these two powerful modalities. Please consider reading it!

https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/issue/view/665

07/09/2025

🌟Help Us Reach Our Goal of $4,500 — We're Already 25% There! 🌟

HTR is teaming up with Camps for Kids to make camp accessible for all our riders! And here's the exciting part: every dollar you donate will be matched — doubling your impact! Your support helps cover camp costs, adaptive activities, and the chance for our riders to grow, connect, and to have fun.

🗓️ Deadline: July 31st, 2025
💸 Matching Details: Donations will be matched dollar for dollar

⬇️Donate through the link below:⬇️

https://campsforkids.org/donate-camp/?camp_id=86

07/03/2025

07/03/2025

***THIS GROUP IS LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS! EMAIL NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT!***

We are excited to welcome you to our Equine-Assisted Social Skills Group!

Horses are sensitive animals that naturally respond to human emotions and body language, making them excellent partners for practicing social and emotional skills. Each session includes group discussion, activities with horses, and reflection time to help your children apply these skills in everyday life.

This 4-week group series is designed to help children and adolescents build communication skills, emotional awareness, empathy, teamwork, and confidence through guided interactions with horses in a safe, supportive environment.

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What to Expect:

• Duration: 4 weekly sessions, 90 minutes each
• Activities: Ground-based activities with horses (no riding), including leading, grooming, and teamwork challenges
• Skills Focus: Social communication, emotional regulation, empathy, assertiveness, and problem-solving

Week 1 (July 19) – Building Trust & Group Cohesion

Week 2 (July 26)– Empathy & Emotional Regulation

Week 3 (August 2)– Communication & Assertiveness

Week 4 (August 9)– Teamwork & Problem Solving

***NOTE: Dates may be subject to change based attendance and/or severe weather!

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Weekly Handouts:

At the end of each session, your child will bring home a weekly handout summarizing what we practiced and offering discussion questions to reinforce skills at home. We encourage you to ask your child about their experiences and celebrate their efforts in learning new skills.

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Contact and Questions:
If you have any questions or concerns before or during the group series, please feel free to reach out:

Andrea L. Metcalf, LSCSW, PMH-C

📞 913-963-0463
📧 andrea@htrkc.org
🌿 www.htrkc.org

06/08/2025

Today was an emotionally moving experience. To spend the morning with this powerful group of women and horses has re-framed empowerment for me. The way empowerment looks and feels is changing and GROWING beyond what I could have imagined.

The moment your soul knows it’s REALLY REAL brings an overwhelming sense of joy, peace, and relief!! Every Equine-Assisted group is unique and rewarding in its own way, but today TRULY left me with HUGE FEELS and BIG LAUGHS…I can FEEL things healing within me. It’s BOTH weird AND wonderful.

As I reflect tonight on the decades long dream to do this work, I remember past versions of my younger horse obsessed self really valuing the quiet, private time with a horse. Something in me KNEW the healing power of connection with horses…it has always been the place I felt the most connection and peace.
I remember Day ONE of graduate school going around the room and sharing our dream job after graduation and y’all THIS IS WHAT I SAID I WANTED TO DO WHEN I GROW UP.

I feel it in my bones the gratitude I have and will always have for the MANY mentors and supporters along this journey. I COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS WITHOUT ANY OF YOU!!! Rachel Willoughby Greene, Julie Whiteside Baker, Nikki Green Counseling, Centimano Counseling, Kira Noel Harkins, Mara Tesler Stein, Kathryn Anderson Orr, Sara Jenkins-EquiLateral: The Equine Assisted EMDR Protocol, Mary Friezen, and SO many other amazing colleagues and friends/family!

And NONE of this could have happened without the INCREDIBLE team Heartland Therapeutic Riding, Inc. and our team who is passionate about equine-assisted mental wellness! Michelle Rickel, Leah, Lyndsey Henkel, Emmy Mae Young, Willow Betow, Laura Bailey.

10/24/2023

I am happy to announce that I will now be offering consultation through my practice Bloom Empowerment! I am an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant-in-Training.

Consultation options include general and/or EMDR specific case consultation. Locations include virtual, in office, or at the therapy farm with the Horses!

If you are an EMDR therapist who is looking for enhanced Phase 2 opportunities, ask me about how Equine-Assisted EMDR could be an adjunct to your office sessions with your clients! (More to come on these opportunities soon!)

https://andrea-metcalf.clientsecure.me/
https://linktr.ee/bloomempowerkc