Jannet, a happy kindergartner, has been a Shea Center speech client utilizing hippotherapy for the past year. She came to the Center to address challenges with speech delay and balance. Her mother, Jazmin, shares that Jannet’s love for riding is boundless—so much so...
Have you ever wondered how to become a therapist who uses hippotherapy in clinical practice? The steps below outline a common pathway to gain experience and mentoring to become a successful practitioner utilizing our favorite therapy treatment modality!
Five-year-old preschooler Bill rides Murray and has been a Shea Center speech therapy client utilizing hippotherapy as a treatment tool for eight months. Bill hit all his milestones as a baby until he was about 18 months old and began to have trouble expressing his...
The Shea Center offers a unique learning environment, welcoming students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and mental health. These students must accumulate numerous clinical hours to complete their degrees and receive valuable mentorship for...
Five-year-old Declan is a happy little boy who is about to start kindergarten. Diagnosed with autism and low muscle tone, Declan has been a client in speech therapy utilizing hippotherapy for two years at The Shea Center. He currently rides Artex, which helps build...
Luca was born with a bright light inside of him and a contagious excitement for life. He was very expressive and used gestures to communicate what he wanted or needed during the first two years of his life. When he was two and not saying any words, the pediatrician...
Speech Language Pathology focuses on improving an individual’s communication skills to their fullest potential. At The Shea Center, we partner with Life Spirit Speech, a third-party contractor that we work with to provide Speech Therapy utilizing the horse’s movement...
Stella is a happy little girl who at three years old was diagnosed with Lamb-Shaffer syndrome, a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay and poor expressive speech. Over time, Stella has participated in numerous and varied...
Nathan M. (age 5) has been a Shea Center rider for two years. Diagnosed with autism, and developmental and speech delays, Nathan attends transitional kindergarten. At school, Nathan has become more social and is beginning to interact with other children...
Life Spirit Speech is committed to enhancing our patients’ communication skills to their fullest potential. We observe our patients’ strengths and utilize them, creating an uplifting, empowering approach to improving areas of difficulty. In 2006, Terri Hutchison M.A.,...