welcome to

Shady Hills equine facilitated psychotherapy

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hold your horses, heal your heart

Our Mission

At Shady Hills Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy, we believe that healing happens through connection, presence, and the wisdom of the herd.

Guided by the rhythms of the natural world, we create a space where individuals, groups, teams, and families can regulate their nervous systems, restore inner calm, and return home to themselves. Our mission is to support authentic, lasting change through relational, trauma-informed care, one grounded stride at a time.

because of the horse...I have learned the quieter you become, the more you can hear

Core values

meet the team

Equine psychotherapy team

Melissa Maltar

MSW, RSW
Social Worker, Psychotherapist

Melissa is a social worker and psychotherapist with over 23 years of experience specializing in trauma, including childhood abuse, complex family systems, and the effects of burnout and vicarious trauma, particularly among first responders and helping professionals. Her work combines strong clinical expertise with a deep commitment to healing across the lifespan. Central to her approach is holding hope for families during their most painful and complex moments.Over the past decade, she has witnessed the regulating and transformative presence of horses. Her equine-facilitated work focuses on self-awareness and relational repair. Through honest feedback, horses foster emotional insight and reconnection to self, often guiding clients toward a more secure way of being. In addition to psychotherapy, she provides clinical consultation, training, and supervision across Canada and internationally. She holds a BSW from Toronto Metropolitan University and an MSW from the University of Toronto, with advanced training in a range of trauma-informed approaches.

Lenka Radomil

MSc, BSc, Animal Sciences
Equine Expert

Lenka has over 30 years of experience with horses and has dedicated every waking moment to working with, loving, and raising them. Her journey began as a devoted young rider who spent all her spare time at the barn, often taking on the horses no one else wanted to ride, and since age 11, she has continued to earn top honours in competitive horse circuits.Her lifelong commitment evolved into a focus on training, education, and equine welfare. Lenka holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Guelph, with graduate research on omega-3s and animal reproduction, blending her passions for nutrition and breeding. She brings this knowledge into her care, ensuring horses thrive at every stage of life. Deeply attuned to equine behaviour, Lenka is also a skilled, knowledgeable, and compassionate coach to riders of all ages. She is committed to developing responsible, empathic, and enthusiastic riders, grounded in strong horsemanship and respect for the animal.

equine facilitated psychotherapy

Services available

At Shady Hills, our approach to therapy honours the horse as a sentient, relational being. Horses, as herd animals, are deeply attuned to their environment and to each other. In therapy, this sensitivity extends to humans, supporting emotional regulation, nervous system balance, and healing through connection. Horses respond in the moment with honesty and presence. Their ability to remain calm and coherent can help you reconnect with yourself, especially when experiencing distress. Simply being with a grounded horse can support you to feel calmer, safer, and more connected. Importantly, horses are given the freedom to choose whether to engage or disengage during sessions. Their responses are authentic and relational, not forced or symbolic. This freedom makes their connection with you even more meaningful.

In this model (HERD Approach by Veronica Lac), healing doesn’t come from analyzing problems but from noticing and experiencing what’s happening right now: physically, emotionally, and relationally. Through guided sessions with a trained therapist, an equine expert, and a horse, clients build awareness, learn to attune to their own sensations and feelings, and explore new ways of being in relationship—with themselves, with others, and with the world.

Equine facilitated psychotherapy at Shady Hills is grounded in compassion, presence, and respect for the inner life of both horse and human. It offers a unique and powerful path to emotional healing, self-awareness, and embodied change.

Individual Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy

Youth (12+) and adults
Specialized in navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, work related burnout, vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue
1.5 hr sessions (5-session commitment recommended)

Family Therapy

Families of all constellations (members must be 12+ years)
Specialized in relational healing, attachment awareness and ruptures, and communication
1.5 hr sessions (5-session commitment recommended)

Professional Team & Wellness Day

Focused on stress relief, co-regulation, and connection for professional teams
Specialized in first responders, teaching professionals, mental health professionals, or corporate teams
Full-day retreat 10:00am - 3:00pm
Customized focused based on need of the group

Youth Mental Health & Wellness Day

Intensives focused on anxiety, confidence & emotional awareness for youth aged 13 - 17 years
Full-day retreat 10:00am - 3:00pm
Customized focused based on need of the group

Information to prepare for a session

Equine facilitated psychotherapy

Directions

We are located at Shady Hills Farm, Lenka Equestrian Centre, located at 750 8th Concession W, Puslinch. Please note that the farm is located in Puslinch, ON and NOT at the Spudic Maltar Therapy Collective office in Georgetown. Detailed driving instructions and a map are below.

What to Wear

Wear comfortable pants and closed-toe footwear suitable for a farm, such as hiking shoes, rain boots, or Blundstones, and dress in weather-appropriate layers that can get a little dirty. Bring water and sun or rain protection as needed. You will be required to wear a helmet when interacting with horses.

What to Expect

Sessions are ground-based, with no riding involved. Through observing and interacting with the horses, you will be invited to notice physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, relational patterns, and what emerges in the moment. Activities are guided by a psychotherapist and equine professional and may support self-awareness, emotional regulation, connection, and relational healing.

Download "Preparation for EFP Sessions" Guide HERE