About | Mane Source Counseling & Coaching

What can Equine Assisted Activities do for me?

You don’t need to have a diagnosed disorder to learn about yourself and develop new skills through equine-assisted activities. In fact, if you’re simply looking for personal growth in any aspect of your life, equine-assisted activities can help. Some areas of growth we work with are family communication, marital issues, parenting, professional development, and more. Some of the benefits of equine-assisted activities are:

Grasping a deeper understanding of self
Identifying your goals and values
Obtaining the right skills for enhancing relationships
Learning resources and skills to deal with the issues that brought you to seek help
Managing problem areas in your personal life, like anger, stress, depression, focus.
Creating new patterns of behavior for yourself
Changing your problem-solving perspective
Boosting your self-esteem and confidence
Helping you live a values-filled life

We have many different animal co-therapists, such as horses, a mini-donkey, rabbits, chickens, and more.

Services offered include:

Individual, family, and group therapy
Supervision or consultation for health professionals
Personal growth and wellness sessions
Continuing education workshops for health professionals

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Common life challenges our participants face

ADHD
Anxiety issues
Autism
Behavioral issues
Depression
Divorce, marriage, and other
Life transitions
Family conflict
Grief or loss
Impulsivity
Parenting struggles
Personal skills development
Professional skills enhancement
Self-esteem and self-awareness development

Frequently asked questions

The natural characteristics of horses as social prey animals create a teacher who is intuitive and seeks connection with those around him. They offer a nonjudgmental perspective of each person they meet, a chance to form a rich bond with a graceful yet powerful animal, and a deeper understanding of non-verbal communication. They teach the power of both relational and leadership agility, as well as offer the opportunity of human-animal bonding and affection. As herd animals, they depend on reading the energy and intention of those around them. They respond to genuineness, congruency, and intention by forming a deep connection with other beings. When you choose to interact with horses in a therapeutic setting, you will come away with feedback more profound than any human can offer without the assistance of the horse

Some common activities in equine sessions are:

All of the activities have a therapeutic goal, such as increasing clear communication between family members, or learning to connect with others through reading body language and relaxing.

We offer a multitude of services and have Personal and Professional Wellness Coaching packages available tailored to each person's individual needs. Some of the services that can be included are: • Energy management coaching- learning to take back control from stress responses and put your energy into your priorities, goals, and values • HeartMath training- learning to regulate your body to decrease stress responses • Equine assisted activities- partner with one of our horses and work on connection and balanced relationships • Individual, family, and group therapy as either a primary therapy or a complimentary therapy to those already in treatment. We offer personal growth workshops, both individually and in groups, for those who are interested in personal growth and development but not in entering therapy at this time. Supervision, both individual and in continuing education workshops, is also offered for counselors and health care professionals.

Our staff is highly qualified, consisting of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors, PATH Certified Equine Specialists in Mental Health and Learning, and supervisors working with an experienced team of therapy animals. We have a natural love for helping people become a better version of themselves and helping our community thrive. We have a positive psychology approach to therapy, with influences from the neuro-counseling research coming out on how animals help us physically as well as emotionally and spiritually.

Our main therapist, Dr. Cheryl Meola, PhD, LCMHCS, NCC, has extensive research experience in equine facilitated activities and uses the most up-to-date evidence-based approaches in the field. Cheryl is also a registered PATH instructor and Equine Specialist.

Our main Equine Specialist, Malaika Albrect, MS, is a PATH Registered Instructor, Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, and former Executive Director of a PATH Premier Accredited Center. She is certified in teaching yoga and HeartMath.

Our co-therapists range from experienced therapy horses to young miniature horses to baby rabbits, dogs, cats and chickens.

Meet our team

Dr. Cheryl Meola, PhD, LCMHCS, NCC

Meet Cheryl

Cheryl is the founder of Mane Source Counseling and a founder of Horses and Health Inc. Her love of horses began at a very early age, and her professional career started in the horse industry as a horse trainer and riding instructor/coach in her teens. After her education in the field of counseling, she integrated her experience with horses into helping people meet their personal and professional goals through relational work with horses. She identifies the natural therapeutic aspects of the horse-human relationship that will help each person experience a shift in their mindset and reach their individual goals.

Staff

Charity H. Montelongo, MA, LCMHC

Charity has been in the mental health field since 2010. She is a retired US Army staff sergeant with an overseas tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.

Meet Charity

Lauren Bethune Scroggs, MS, LCMHC, LCASA, NCC, NCMHC

Lauren has a MS in Substance Abuse and Clinical Counseling with certificates in Military and Trauma Counseling and Rehabilitation Counseling from ECU.

Meet Lauren

Malaika King Albrecht, MA

Malaika is the owner of Freckles Farm and an incorporator of Horses and HEALTH Inc. Malaika is a PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning.

Meet Malaika

Michael Sisley, LCMHC, CRC

Michael began his career in mental health after graduating in 2004. He began by working with individuals and often their family members in their homes, in their schools, and in their communities.

Meet Michael