We’re creating a supportive space for mothers and their adolescent daughters to strengthen communication, emotional understanding, trust, and connection while respecting the daughter’s growing autonomy. This six-week offering provides you and your daughter an opportunity to work collaboratively with our herd to build your relationship. Delivered by a registered psychotherapist, these sessions may be covered by your benefits plan.
We start by meeting each of you individually for an intake to clarify goals, obtain consent and the adolescent’s assent, determine comfort around horses, and identify any safety concerns. We will also discuss confidentiality and its limits. If either individual feels unsafe or there are serious safety concerns, individual assessment and other supports may be needed first. At no time will you be pressured to approach, touch or work directly with a horse.
Session themes including the following:
- Building safety and noticing strengths with a focus on establishing shared hopes and making the setting feel predictable.
- Listening and feeling heard with a focus on practicing curiosity, reflection, and turn-taking.
- Emotions and calming down with a focus on understanding our nervous system, while noticing feelings and body signals before reacting.
- Boundaries, needs, and growing independence with a focus on helping the daughter express preferences while supporting the mother in listening without immediately fixing or correcting.
- Conflict and repair with a focus on recognizing a familiar disagreement pattern and practice a different response.
- Celebrating progress and planning ahead – naming what has changed and choosing realistic ways to keep building connection.
If this offering is of interest to you, please reach out to Jennifer at jgarland@themaneintent.ca to book your intake.
