Hi, I’m Natalia Roca Molero, and I’m proud to serve as an ambassador for Connected Growth and Wellness, a program ran under Horses for Mental Health. I am a current student at Michigan State University majoring in a degree for Psychology (Bachelor of Science) and Neuroscience. As an equestrian, I’ve experienced firsthand the powerful and irreplacable connection between horses and people, as well as its influence on emotional well-being. Horses have a unique ability to reflect our feelings, build trust, and help us grow in ways that traditional environments often can’t. Even science itself can prove this, Connected Growth and Wellness is grounded in both science and experience, integrating approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and experiential learning. Their program follows the gold standard set by Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl), ensuring that each session involves either a licensed mental health professional alongside a certified equine specialist or a provider who holds both credentials. At Connected Growth and Wellness, the horses themselves are an essential part of the therapeutic process. These horses are carefully selected and trained to work in therapeutic settings, where they provide feedback to your emotions, opportunities for experiential learning and self reflection within oneself and a grounding presence that keeps you in the present. Around horses, it’s very important to be present and our therapy horse’s like for example: Decko, a former Arabian show horse now turned therapy horse are very much in-tune with your emotions and your moods! Being around horse’s is a wonderful way to develop neutrality and control over our emotions, as well as teach us more about ourselves. By donating to Connected Growth and Wellness you can help in helping support these amazing animals and everything that goes into their care such as: feed, supplements, routine and emergency veterinary care, enrichment and specialized training to ensure they can best serve individuals with diverse needs. Your support helps make these life-changing thereaupetic experiences possible for people who need them most. Every donation contributes not only to the well-being of the horses, but also to the healing, growth, and hope of the people they help every single day. Attached as our image is another of our prized therapeutic horses
