Laura’s first encounter with horses came at a young age when her father, a police officer, took her down to the Toronto Police Stables to ride a police horse. This is a memory she holds dear to this day.  Several years later Laura’s family moved to Elmwood Ontario to a one-hundred-acre farm, where they had three appaloosa horses. At this time, Laura began experiencing mental health issues and, as a result, Laura spent very little time with the family horses on the farm. 

Laura moved back to Toronto after she graduated high school and spent the next twenty-three years searching for help with her mental health challenges. Suicidal gestures had become the norm and the traditional medical treatment model wasn’t helping. Laura had a deep sense of knowing she was meant for something bigger and refused to accept what the professionals told her - that she would be ill and medicated for the rest of her life.

In 2014 Laura met world-renowned trauma and addiction expert Dr. Gabor Mate. He saw Laura’s potential and understood what she needed to heal and reconnect with her true purpose. Under this personal mentorship, Laura spent the next seven years doing deep self-exploration and healing work. 

In 2016, Laura began studying Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy at a small private school in Toronto.  She wanted to pay forward the things her mentor had taught her. In 2020, Laura began her Master’s in Counselling Psychology. Later that year, Laura felt the call to renew her relationship with horses and began seeing a FEEL (Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning) Practitioner. The depth of healing and wisdom the horses brought inspired Laura to train at Horse Spirit Connections in the FEEL program to become a facilitator.

Laura now gets the same joy and excitement she had riding the police horse regularly when she works with the horses at her friend’s farm in Queensville, Ontario, in the Greater Toronto Area.

Today, Laura integrates teachings from her mentor, psychology training with horses, and her intuition and sensitivity to help adult participants learn to create and nurture their personal growth. 

Laura is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) in good standing with Ontario's College of Registered Psychotherapists. She is also a Hypnotherapist and a member in good standing of the National Guild of Hypnotists and a certified member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. As well as a FEEL® Alumni.

Louie Francis Lockhart is Laura’s beloved shih-tzu companion and honorary therapy dog, often joining her at the farm with the horses. He has been known to make an appearance in Laura’s virtual sessions as well and always brings a smile and some awe’s.

Education &

Self Development

 

  • Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)

  • Masters in Counselling Psychology - Yorkville University

  • Clinical Hypnosis Certificat - University of Toronto

  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - York University

  • FEEL* Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning Certificate

  • Existential-Integrative Psychotherapy Certificate

  • Pain Reprocessing Therapy Certificate

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression and Addiction Intensive.

  • Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS): A Revolutionary and Transformative Treatment of PTSD, Anxiety, Depression and Substance Abuse.

  • Hypnosis for PTSD Certificate.

  • Usui Reiki Certificate Level I & II

  • Expert Life Coaching Certificate

  • The Landmark Forum

  • Landmark Advance Course

  • The Hoffman Process

  • Ryzio Intensive

  • Inner Engineering

  • Eckhart Tolle’s School of Awakening

Registration: College of Registered Psychotherapist License # 13953, National Guild of Hypnotists #796542, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association # 11243449 and FEEL® Alumni member in good standing.