Horse Healing Sessions Referral Form

Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy

Dr. Shreyasi Brodhecker, MD, FRCP(C) Psychiatry, & colleagues
Phone: (780)564-1212
Fax: (780)450-4902
mindfulmarewellness@gmail.com

Dr. Brodhecker provides Horse Healing Sessions (i.e., 1:1 Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy sessions) to individuals with a history of depression and/or anxiety who are interested in trying a different framework of treatment. She has provided individual and group psychotherapy to adult and geriatric patients over the past ten years. Her approach integrates insight-oriented attachment-based approaches with mindfulness and emotion regulation strategies.

Dr. Brodhecker’s attachment-based Equine Facilitated Wellness approaches are influenced by Sue McIntosh of the Healing Hooves Animal Assisted Therapy program in Cremona, AB. Dr. Brodhecker has attended training with Sue since 2018 as part of the certification pathway for Pro EFW (the Professional Association for Equine Facilitated Wellness) in Canada. She is in her last stage of dual certification training as an Equine Facilitated Mental Health Professional and Equine Facilitated Learning Professional with Pro EFW. Dr. Brodhecker is also familiar with Epona© equine facilitated therapy approaches, as taught by Roxy Wright of Heart’s Haven Ranch, and is an Equine Connection™-certified Equine Assisted Learning facilitator.

Sessions are provided weekly or biweekly at a farm property in the Sherwood Park area. Horses involved in the therapy sessions are well known to Dr. Brodhecker and reside at Spirit Farm Gypsy Cobs Inc. Emotional and physical safety is always emphasized and equine professionals also trained in Equine Assisted Learning may join sessions to assist with equine activities on occasion. Owing to the limited equine-facilitated psychotherapy opportunities available to the community, Dr. Brodhecker can only provide short-term psychotherapy (to a maximum of six months) for suitable individuals.

Equine-facilitated psychotherapy approaches have been implemented in individuals with a history of chronic anxiety, depression, interpersonal difficulties, and trauma (including PTSD). These sessions are psychotherapy-focused and do not include consultation or management of psychotropics. If there is a mental health provider already involved with care, Dr. Brodhecker will collaborate regarding treatment and, depending on the specific case, current mental health providers may also attend select equine-facilitated psychotherapy sessions with the patient.

if different from referral source
Is the family physician in agreement with the referral?

Patient Information

Reasons for Referral (select all that apply):
Are any of the following applicable for this patient?
Is this person comfortable to attend 1:1 psychotherapy sessions? *
Can this person commit to attending at least three months of equine-facilitated psychotherapy weekly to every three weeks? *

NOTE: Please ensure that this person does not have any of the conditions below:

NOTE: Please ensure that this person does not have any of the conditions below:

Referral Source Agreement

I agree to remain this person’s healthcare provider in case of urgent physical or emotional issues during the course of this group. I agree to remain this person’s provider (or to arrange alternate supports) in case of urgent physical or emotional issues during this group. *
I understand that the MBSR program is psychoeducational. Although healthcare professionals facilitate the group, this group is not intended to replace psychiatric medications or personal psychotherapy. *
I understand that Dr. Brodhecker is not assuming transfer of care and is not my patient’s psychiatrist during this program. *