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NEWEST UPDATES:
Our Wellness Program is BACK!
As the summer heat begins to taper off, we are excited to open our applications for programs in April!
This is open to anyone who wants to experience calm, connection, nature, and creativity - no experience is required.
Our small groups ensure safety and alignment through your journey and encourage self-expression, and exploration at your own pace.
(Return attendees welcome)
We look forward to meeting you, and offering you a space to create calm and connection through art, nature and horses.
Program Features
Equine Engagement
Experience the innate healing presence of horses, through nurturing and engaging exercises. No riding involved and no equine experience required.
Natural Environment
Set on the edge of the beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland, allow Nature's wonderful medicine to slow the nervous system and escape the intensity of everyday life.
Creative Reflection
Integrate learnings and explore challenges and emotional processing, via Therapeutic Arts activities. No art experience necessary, all materials provided.
Why 'Healing With Hooves'?
Born from a deep passion to share the healing effects of both Equine and Arts Therapies, this program aims to provide a framework that embraces the diverse nature of participants in a nurturing, slow-paced, permissive environment.
Each modality has been proven to support healing and wellbeing in individuals & groups, including those experiencing psychosocial, physical and mental illnesses. The intuitive combination of the two, offers a new way of exploring and integrating life’s experiences, making ’Healing With Hooves’ a great option for almost anyone.
Both facilitators have witnessed this combination improve self-worth, build capacity and self-regulation skills in private settings, and believe a group option will encourage clients to process emotions, share struggles, and overcome difficulties via presence, connection and reflection, to improve feelings of belonging in the community.
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Healing with Hooves is designed as an inclusive, client-informed, group-paced option for participants struggling to find an alternative option for improving mental and physical wellbeing.
Meet the Facilitators
Nina Mitens
Arts Therapist, Counsellor, Co-Creator.
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With a background in the Creative Industries, Education & Coaching, Nina brings over 15 years of diverse experiences to their practice. They believe in giving permission to access the inner self, through the childlike wonder of creative freedom.
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Nina views each human (animal and many plants) as ‘creative’ in their essence, with a unique language that speaks from the soul, not just via words/our voices.
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In their work as a Therapist & Counsellor, they aim to assist and inspire those who are seeking a deeper sense of self-understanding & acceptance to find their own language of healing.
As a neurodivergent, Nina has a personal understanding of the lack of possibilities within the NDIS & other support sectors and feels the container created via the integration of these modalities, may be the missing link for many.
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Mel Fernandes Ferreira
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FEI Level 3 Equestrian Coach, Co-Creator.
Successful internationally as a coach and rider for over 10 years, Mel poured their wealth of knowledge from Europe and the Middle East into co-founding Gold Coast’s ‘Unity Equestrian’ in 2021.
Their role of head coach ranges from basic riding instruction, training teams for competition, running educational clinics, to working in the specialised area of ‘Equine Biomechanics’ to achieve optimal performance via the intricate relationship of horse and rider.
Mel is passionate about offering a safe space for every human through nature and the equine world. They share their intimate understanding and adoration of horses to encourage clients find a sense of belonging and build self esteem, in a non-judgemental environment. Demonstrating that patience, persistence, compassion and showing up exactly as you are is enough - specifically, when reflected in the eyes of a horse.
We strive to curate groups & spaces where people can offer support for one another, be accepted for showing up ‘as they are’ and given space to explore ideas, learnings, emotions and triggers in ways that are not often accommodated for in society.
“If you don't know how you are feeling, stand in front of a horse and they will tell you.”
Have more Questions?
Still unsure if Healing With Hooves is the right fit? Or have some suggestions for our next round?