“Moonlight Ranch is owned by Laura McLaughlin, she’s been doing equine assisted psychotherapy for 10 years and outpatient mental health counseling for 27 years. She is one of the chairs of the Certification Board for Equine Interaction Professionals (CBEIP), so she’s very involved in the equine interaction community, she’s very passionate about the subject as well,” said Emilie.
Emilie engaged with the practice by caring for the animals, working in the barn, and experiencing the farm-based therapy first hand.
“I cleaned the stalls, put out fresh hay, and groomed the animals as well – which is on its own a kind of therapy. You are very present, it’s nice. I also fed the chickens and goats, and would take the bunnies from the barn to their outside enclosure – so that’s tricky because you have to hold them a certain way or they will leap out of your arms.”
“When I was there, I looked over a lot of the documentation that (McLaughlin) gives to her clients to fill out. There are forms for dissociative disorder, marriage therapy, and neuro feedback – which is a brain scan that shows the different brain activity. Neuro feedback is a form of therapy where you see a movie or play a video game with the equipment on and you can see the activity in your brain – you can see your brain waves.”
Emilie tried a neuro feedback exercise by playing a video game while the equipment was in place scanning her brain waves. “If I’m unfocused, I lose the game, but if I’m focused, I win. It was interesting to see it in person. It also has pretty good success rates, but it’s not as promoted as much as it could be. You can benefit from this form of therapy without continuing with it.”
While Emilie wasn’t engaged directly with clients, she got to see the scope of activities clients would experience at the Moonlight Ranch.
One activity involved noodles cut into pieces with words like “success” and “grandfather” on them to represent topics brought up in therapy. Another had containers of stuffed animals that could be used as props to represent an idea or narrative.
“(McLaughlin) told me, create something that is symbolic of your journey in education so far, and then create something that is symbolic of where you want to move forward in education. While I did this, there was a horse present with us named Elvis, and it got me creative and got me thinking of what had helped me so far – what obstacles had I faced, and what do I want to do moving forward. When I was done, I called her over, and Elvis came too. He had been watching me put this together, and then the 3 of us took a look at what I put together.”
After explaining what she created, Elvis knocked it over, and McLaughlin asked what she thought about that.
“So, I’m seeing traditional therapeutic methods, used in a different setting. It’s still therapy, and we’re still talking about the same ideas, but there’s a whole different toolset and setting.”
For someone who doesn’t do well in a traditional therapy office, which can feel sterile, the farm setting offers an alternative, she said, “It can feel more relaxed, you’re at ease. People relax more when they do a physical task. There’s less tension and pressure when you’re outside and there’s a donkey next to you. They’re adorable, they’re like toddlers. Their way of showing affection is to press their butt against you. In that sense, it feels like life isn’t so complicated. Being with the animals makes you feel so present.”
“It might not be as accessible to people to do equine-assisted psychotherapy as opposed to talk therapy. But during COVID, a lot of people came to the Moonlight Ranch wanting to be outside. I think moving forward, equine therapy should be promoted more.”
“When I was looking for an internship, I was wondering if there was anything like this nearby because the typical office setting – that’s not really who I am. I want to include nature, and be more holistic. I experienced a lot of benefits first-hand from being there too – so on that level, I understand it.”
The Capstone internship experience reinforced a lot of the concepts from her coursework as well. “We spoke in depth about the therapeutic relationship, what boundaries you don’t cross, the importance of documentation, and when to know personally that you’re at a max and not to take on too much, and not get compassion fatigue. That was something I hadn’t learned about in a lot yet; self-care in the field of psychology.”
The internship was a good opportunity to hear firsthand from someone in the field on what tips and tricks they use to maintain themselves when dealing with heavy stuff – that felt like one of the most important parts of my field work
“I saw a lot of statistics – like when I got my brain scan back. She said there’s no such thing as a ‘normal score’ but some can show a likelihood of anxiety and depression.”
From her internship Professor Jayne Barnes: “Emilie’s hands-on experience demonstrated the power of a Capstone internship in which active project-based learning is the focus and course work is then applied in a practical real life setting.”
Professor Barnes said the internship was eye-opening for her as well, “I learned so much about equine assisted psychotherapy through her weekly critical incident reports, connection with her supervisor and her comprehensive final integration paper that culminated with a power point presentation at our final class.”
Aside from the therapy services available at Moonlight Ranch, the facility also serves fellow caretakers. “There are opportunities and workshops specifically for therapists and teachers – like a retreat for a day. It’s run by a therapist who works on the farm, and it’s relaxing, they do meditation and activities.”
She came away wholeheartedly endorsing the Capstone experience, “It’s 100 percent important to see the reality of what you’re actually going into. I would definitely recommend it to truly see how your classwork is applied and to hear the experience of people who have been in the field for years.”
Trying different spaces within the field is important as well, “There isn’t one set space, there are plenty of different environments to explore and that doesn’t mean the field isn’t for you, but you have to find what’s right for you.”
The College Journey
Now heading into Fall 2024, Emilie has three classes left to complete her psychology degree at Nashua Community College so she can graduate in December. She then plans to transfer to Lesley University in Cambridge. “I am very torn between art therapy and the holistic program, both are right up my alley for where I want to move forward.”
Emilie came to NCC after graduating from Nashua High School North in 2022 as the pandemic was winding down, and was able to take most of her classes in person. “I personally liked the experience of having to come in, because during COVID in high school, it felt like a greater separation. I like coming out and socializing, I feel like I learn better.”
Reflecting on her overall college experience, she said the most challenging aspect was navigating her personal life along with her education. “In high school, there are things you’re not worried about until you graduate and go to college, and then you have to put in more care and effort. Now you’re becoming an adult, and you might need to carry a job on the side and figure things out like dental insurance, and how to manage well-being, work, and a social life. It’s a lot to juggle at once.”
“I’m happy that when I started at NCC I took it easy with two classes while working weekends, and I was able to get a feel of what I could and couldn’t handle – I’m a big fan of ‘slow and steady wins the race’.”
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