2377 East Wellington Rd     Nanaimo, BC     Canada V9R 6V7     Program information     info@generationfarms.ca     Correspondence to:     Deborah Marshall     203 1801 Bowen Road     Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1     Office phone number     250-754-7703     Staff Deborah Marshall, M.A. Registered Clinical Counsellor Epona Advanced Approved Instructor Four decades of horse ownership have given Deborah a deep respect for the wisdom of the horse. Brought up in the traditional systems of horsemanship, she has shed many layers of old beliefs in order to truly appreciate their gifts. She has observed over the years the powerful effect a horse can have on people, but her career as a counsellor began separate from the stable. After working in the non-profit sector as a child-care worker and counsellor for ten years, Deborah completed her Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology in 1986, and opened a private practice in 1988. From her original specialty in Family Therapy, Deborah came to specialize in treating the after effects of trauma. Moving beyond talk, she incorporated approaches that are more effective. She was among the first therapists on Vancouver Island to train in EMDR in 1996, and is an EMDRIA ccertified therapist in EMDR. As a support to doing advanced work with trauma, Deborah also completed a two-year intensive training in a somatic approach to trauma. Change and growth do not have to be painful. Deborah always looks to how a person can be reconnected with things that are positive and healing, and to the possibilities of developing new resources. Adding horses to her practice in 2000 allowed the horses to work their own simple magic to help people recover themselves. After initial training with EAGALA, Deborah began to explore the combination of psychotherapy and horses. She was drawn to study in Tucson, Arizona with Linda Kohanov, author of "The Tao of Equus" and "Riding Between the Worlds" and the originator of Epona Equestrian Services.  This powerful and heart-centred approach has opened many new doors and continues to inform Deborah's work. She became an Epona Advanced Approved Instructor in 2006. Her work is truly innovative and flexible as she combines the effectiveness of EMDR, Somatic Psychology, mindfulness, and her other methods with the power of horses. Deborah is on the board of the National Association of Equine Facilitated Wellness and also offers professional training in EFW. In the Nanaimo office of Marshall and Associates, she continues to support her colleagues in their group practice, and to see clients and work with organizations. People with depression, anxiety, loss, burnout, adjustment to disability and brain injury are all in her area of expertise. Years of Employee Assistance Programs and workplace interventions have given Deborah experience in the workplace and corporate world. In 2010 she created the BrainWise Neural Integration Centre www.balanceyourbrain.ca which offers a sophisticated brain balancing program using neurofeedback. Deborah is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors(#0636). Emily Pelletier; BA CYC, EC Level One Coach, MA in Equine Assisted Mental Health Emily has loved and ridden horses since she was a young girl. Her relationship with her horse was an anchor through her growing up years. Now an accomplished coach and horsewoman, she is attuned to the relationship between human and horse. She completed her B.A. in Child and Youth Care in 2006 and is a certified riding coach. Emily now has a Master’s in Counselling Psychology with a specialization in Equine Assisted Mental Health from Prescott College; Prescott, Arizona. She is also completing her certification in Simplicity Parenting. In addition to coaching riding and horsemanship, Emily has been a part of developing the programs at Generation Farm, as well as creating her own practice working with adults and youth. She uses horsemanship in strengthening life skills such as boundaries, respectful relationship, assertiveness and body awareness. She mentors our two Child and Youth Care workers who are beginning their careers working with children and horses. Emily works alongside Deborah Marshall creating workshops and professional trainings in Equine Facilitated Wellness. Kate Burns R.S.W., B.S.W Kate Burns is a workshop facilitator and counsellor at Generation Farms. New to horses, she has been struck by the power of this work and how it connects us deeply to our core and to universal energy. Kate has a varied background including organizational work, counselling, addictions treatment, education and nature based therapies. She completed the 2007 Generation Farms training in Equine Facilitated Mental Health. Kate deepened her learning by doing “manure meditation” in the horse fields, learning horsemanship skills, and she was taught patience by an empowered mare known as Paisley. She is a core member of the addictions treatment team. Kate also works as a counsellor in the Marshall and Associates office. Dean Diamond; M. Ed. in Community Education and Disability Studies Dean has been working as an advocate, counsellor and administrator within the disability rights field for over 15 years. He has been around horses most of his life and became interested in EFW when he realized how significant they had been in his own growth. One of Dean’s interests in is TTouch and TTeam; a method and philosophy in communication and relationship. He has been involved at Generation Farms for three year, first as a student and intern in Equine Facilitated Wellness, and now a member of the addictions treatment team. Anastasia Hirst; Child and Youth Care Student Anastasia has been involved with programs at Generation Farms for eight years. Her view of the horse is based on relationship and respect. Stasia loves to introduce young people to the world of the horse from this perspective. She is a student in the Child and Youth Care program at VIU. She is applying this learning towards a career of working together with youth and horses in a healing environment. Anastasia has taken numerous trainings and workshops at Generation Farms in the field of Equine Facilitated Wellness, including the two week intensive program Reflection of the Horse; a training for mental health professionals. Amanda Hodgson: Child and Youth Care Student and Provincial Instructor Mandy has ridden and loved horses most of her life. She has her Provincial coaching status and has taught both traditional lessons and therapeutic riding. When she came to Generation Farms she opened herself to a whole new view of the horse, based on relationship and respect. Mandy loves to introduce people to the world of the horse from this perspective. Mandy also works as the equine professional in our Equine Facilitated Wellness addictions treatment program. This direction has encouraged Mandy to go back school where she is now a student in the Child and Youth Care program at VIU. Home || About Us || Programs || Schedule & Events Copyright © 2005 Generation Farms - All rights reserved - Version 1.0 Minimum screen resolution of 800x600 and browsers 4.0 and above are required