Our Therapy Approach
Equine and Animal Assisted Psychotherapy
Equine assisted psychotherapy is modality of therapy that is offerd by a qualified mental health practitioner such as a psychologist or counsellor, where the individual is invited to spend time in the presence of horses and is experiential in nature. Animals offer a safe place to explore relationships, emotions and patterns as they are kind and non judgemental. It has been found particularly useful in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and supporting those with disabilities.
Play Therapy
“Toys are used like words by children, and play is their language.” – Dr. Garry Landreth
Play therapy is a form of mental health intervention in which children can express themselves and work through emotions and psychological issues in an age-appropriate, comfortable and natural way.
Suzanne uses this alongside her other modalities to work with children.
Room Based Counselling
Our counselling room provides a safe and nurturing space to explore your thoughts, feelings,and concerns.
Counselling practices are humanistic and client centred, and are underpinned by wide range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Whether you are struggling with anxiety,depression, grief, trauma, or any other emotional or mental health concern,our qualified and registered counsellors are here to offer professional expertise and unwavering support.
Baking & Cooking Therapy
Baking has been shown to be extremely beneficial for boosting mental health, with advantages such as enhanced mindfulness, satisfaction, and sensory pleasure.
Qualification and certification in Food Safety and Food Handling has been achieved by therapists offering baking and cooking sessions.
Online Services
Online sessions are held from the safety of your own home and can be offered if you are unable to get to the farm.
Testimonials
"Suzanne has been working with my daughter for the last year and from the moment my daughter met her she wanted to come back. She refused to go to traditional room-based counselling but she begs me to take her to see Suzanne and tells all her friends about Suzanne and her animals. Suzanne has given her strategies to work with her anxiety and emotions and we are so grateful, we couldn't imagine not having Suzanne in our life. Thank you Suzanne!" -Steph and Lily
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Suzanne and her animals helped my daughter to develop some thinking and coping strategies to manage stress and emotions. Highly recommend!!! A safe and supportive environment for learning!!! " - Laura and Georgia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"During 2022 my son Hudson experienced a set back with his mental health and whilst he was seeing a psychologist at the time, I felt he needed additional support. A friend recommended Suzanne, and after a lengthy discussion with her, Hudson was booked in. Hudson took to Suzanne from the very first visit, he thoroughly enjoyed spending time meeting the animals and helping her around the farm. He grew a connection with both Miss Burger and Miss Molly which continued to develop the more Hudson spent time on the farm. Suzanne has taught Hudson to understand and accept his emotions / fears by providing a variety of tools that can be used daily and help strengthen his mental health. Hudson now asks if he can call Suzanne when feels his emotions are high or when he would like to spend with her. As a parent who has experienced a child at their lowest point, it fills my heart knowing Cardinia Equine and Animal Assisted Counselling and Learning has been the best thing for Hudson and his mental health" - Kristine and Hudson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"From the moment we stepped onto Suzanne’s farm, we knew we had found the perfect place for our 4yo son. The care Suzanne showed for him from the second they met was incredible. She had so much compassion and patience to allow him to explore and feel safe. The bond he has developed with Suzanne and her animals has been beautiful to watch. The horses are so in tune with him, they have picked up on cues from my son that I missed! The animals are so loved and well cared for, you can see how happy they are to be part of the therapy and that it is their choice to participate - the cats come running over to join when we arrive! We feel so lucky to be able to take him to see Suzanne and know that he is being treated with so much love and respect. We can’t recommended CEAC highly enough :) " - Bec & Michael
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We visited a few Equine Therapy services but after meeting Suzanne at CEAC the choice became a “no-brainer”. Suzanne and her relaxed manner immediately won over our 2 children, as did the number and variety of animals at her property. We couldn’t be any happier with the choice we made. Her personable interaction with the children has to be experienced to be believed. The children have made great gains in emotional and calming behavior thanks to Suzanne and her animals. We couldn’t recommend her Equine Therapy services more highly" - Trevor & Trish
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Suzanne has not only helped my child through some pretty tough stuff and still is but our whole house hold runs so much more smoothly because of how she has educated us about the challenges our child faces... she is so much better within herself and we are more confident knowing we are doing the right things by her..
Suzanne is so genuine and caring.
Im so glad we found you.
Your knowledge, caring and compassion has made such an impact on our childs life and well being. Thankyou from the bottom of my heart" - Lauralee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I've only just started here .To me it's walking into a world of safety, it's my happy place to be with nature and animals..Suzanne is amazing loving and kind..Looking forward to getting on top things in future" - Linda
