Steph is a devoted animal lover, wife and mother to two beautiful little girls, and is passionate about helping others on their journey to self-discovery and healing with the assistance of animals.
With a lifelong love for horses and over 25 years of experience in their presence, Steph brings a profound understanding of their wisdom to her practice. She is a compassionate and highly qualified practitioner with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, holding a bachelors in Psychological studies and a Masters of Counselling and is a fully registered counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association.
Her passion for holistic and embodied healing led her to specialise in powerful modalities that go beyond traditional talk therapy. Steph is a certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapist through the Equine Psychotherapy Institute and now acts as a supervisor, supporting other practitioners.
To deepen her understanding of the impacts of trauma, she completed a rigorous three-year specialist training to become a certified Trauma Specialist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Steph has recently been accepted as a member of the Melbourne assisting team for Somatic Experiencing Australia, a testament to her advanced skills and dedication to her clients' well-being.
Adding to her unique blend of skills, Steph is also a certified Spinal Energetics practitioner. She seamlessly integrates this modality with her somatic work and the profound presence of the horses, offering a truly unique and transformative path to healing.
Steph's own journey began as a teenager as she began to deal with repressed trauma, which resulted in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and an eating disorder in her teenage years. Steph is a passionate advocate for those that have experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse. Her personal experience, coupled with a lifelong connection to horses, has deeply informed her practice. Recognising the profound impact horses had on her own mental health, Steph developed a holistic approach to therapy that integrates equine-assisted techniques. She believes in creating a safe and supportive environment where clients can reconnect with themselves, process past traumas, or simply find presence in the moment.
Steph works collaboratively with a diverse range of animals, including horses, dogs, goats, and an alpaca, to facilitate healing and personal growth.
Meet Steph and the animals and learn about equine assisted therapy
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"I highly recommend Melbourne Equine Assisted counselling to anyone needing personal growth. Anyone struggling with issues should contact Steph. This is a safe place, steph and the horses helped me so much, such a positive, beautiful experience." Renee
"A traumatic experience left me feeling very anxious, fearful and emotionally unstable. Making contact with Steph was the best decision I have ever made. Her style of support is empowering, insightful and therapeutic. Through participating in her session I learned how to make deeper connections with the environment and my surroundings, my inner feelings and emotions and how to accept my fears. By working with Steph and her horses Mermaid and Grasshopper I learned to acknowledge and accept any sense of anxiety present and not run away from it. I really appreciate your ability to listen intently and thankful for the skills and strategies that I was able to take away from my session with Steph and her animals to control the whirlwind that was going through my mind. I highly recommend the services Steph has to offer." Alicia