The essential members of the team are the Horses, therapist, and equine professional. Click here to learn more about the horses at Fresh Steps EAP.
EAGALA
Level II Certified
Our treatment team is headed up by Darcie Kelly, our therapist. We are
also proud to have her husband, Shawn Kelly, as our Equine Specialist.
We would like to introduce our newest member of the Fresh Steps team, Kathleen Stevens! Together we make up the treatment team that is ready to serve your
treatment needs.
Darcie
Kelly, MSW, MBA, EAGALA Level II Certified
Darcie is originally from the Midwest, and has lived in Montana for
almost a decade. She has been riding horses since she was very young,
and has owned her own horse since she was 20. Darcie holds a B.S. in
psychology from Indiana University, an MBA from the University of Louisville,
and acquired her Master
of Social Work degree from Walla Walla College. Most of her work over the last several years
has been with adolescents and their families.
She
has been an actively involved member of the National Association of Social
Workers (NASW). She has served on the NASW Montana board as student
representative, and as the Chair of the License
Task Force Committee. She is also very active with regard to the treatment
and safety of at-risk youth with her involvement with the state's newly
formed Board of Private Alternative Adolescent Residential or Outdoor
Programs.
Darcie
has also been involved with the Seeley Swan Talk, Education, Protection
program or SSTEP program in Seeley Lake, Montana. SSTEP is a crisis
intervention and domestic violence prevention program for the residents
Swan Valley. She has also participated and completed the Train The Trainer
workshop offered by the National Coalition Building Institute, or NCBI.
Darcie
is also an active member in EAGALA, and is working toward her Level
III certification in EAP. She is a member of the EAGALA research team
as well. She is also a member of the Rocky Mountain Horse Association
(RMHA), as she owns, breeds and sells Rocky Mountain Horses, which are
also used in therapy. See “Why Horses?”
for more information about the Rocky Mountain Horse.
Shawn
Kelly, B.S.
Shawn
Kelly was born and raised on the West Coast, and has always had an interest
in animals. After graduating from High School, Shawn joined the US Army.
When he had finished serving his country, he attended college, and acquired
his degree in wildlife biology. His extensive knowledge about large
animals is of great benefit working with horses.
Shawn
enjoys hunting and camping, and has packed horses into the Bob Marshall
and Mission Mountain wilderness. He has worked with and trained his
horse Hershey (shown here) since Hershey was born.
Shawn
continues to learn more about horse behavior so that he can be the best
equine specialist to serve on the Fresh Steps EAP treatment team. Currently, he is studying the Parelli system as well as other forms of natural horsemanship
Kathleen M. Stevens, LAC
We are pleased to announce the addition of Kathleen M. Stevens to our Eagala team, a Licensed Addictions Counselor since 1986 and a horse person for the last twenty nine years. Prior to coming to Montana in 1996 Ms Stevens worked for the Federal Government, Department of Defense, United States Navy for the Naval Air Weapons Station, Pt. Mugu, California. She developed, directed, evaluated, and supervised the Civilian Employee Assistance Program (CEAP) and the Military Drug and Alcohol Program (DAPA) while reporting directly to the Captain and Admiral of the base. After taking an early retirement package from the Federal government, Ms. Stevens moved to Montana to develop her private practice in chemical dependency, specializing in addictive/dysfunctional relationships and alcohol related anger management issues. Ms. Stevens also has experience in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, Suicide Intervention, Grief Issues and has been trained as an Sexual Assault Victim Advocate, and as a facilitator for the American Lung Association.
The second reason Ms. Stevens moved to Montana was to continue her passion for riding, competing, and learning more about the HORSE. She competed for over twenty years in the sport of endurance racing (fifty miles per race). She has trained under Mr. Buck Brannaman, one of the first actual “Horse Whisperers”. She now actively trains by taking dressage lessons to further her education on the development and deportment of the horse/self. Ms. Stevens and her husband Steven Kilbreath are active members of the Tri-Arabian Horse Club in Helena, and are in training/conditioning for the 2nd annual Helena Endurance Race in September 2008. Ms Stevens is familiar and has studied other horse trainers such as: John Lyons, Monty Roberts, Pat and Linda Parelli and Sally Swift, a gifted dressage instructor and author of “Centered Riding”. Ms Stevens also trained and completed the necessary requirements to have her two year old male Standard Poodle become a registered Therapy Dog. She and “Cooper” visit our Veterans every Tuesday at Fort Harrison in Helena as volunteers. Ms. Stevens received her EAGALA Level One Certification in 2004 in Billings, Montana and is now looking forward to utilizing the horse on a higher level in helping the human at Fresh Steps EAP.
Kristina Gillispie, LCSW
Krissy was born in Havre, Montana but was raised moving back and forth between Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. She graduated from the University of Montana with a BA in Sociology and emphasis in Criminology. She then moved to Alaska, where she trained as an advocate for victims of sexual assault and family violence. She completed her MSW training at the University of Kansas, outside Kansas City where she worked as a group home manager for adolescent boys placed by juvenile probation and child protection services. During her MSW studies, she spent time living in Costa Rica studying Spanish and Women’s Studies.
Most of Krissy’s experience has focused on children and families. She’s received specialized training in the treatment of sexually maladaptive youth and evidenced based treatment for individuals with co-occurring disorders in Indiana. While in Indiana, she oversaw the TransLife (transitioning home) Program of a residential treatment facility for adolescents. She’s currently working towards her LAC and EAGALA Level I Certification.
Krissy believes in community involvement and has been a member of NASW since 2003, serves as a CASA and is a member of the Change Agents in Helena. Krissy has recently returned to Montana to be near family, friends and the mountains where she enjoys hiking with her dog, hunting and camping. She spent her early years owning and riding horses and continues to learn all she can about natural horsemanship. She is excited to be part of a team at Fresh Steps, Inc., that implements the horse as a tool to support growth, healing and recovery in children, families and individuals.
Heather Myers, CTRS, NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Heather moved from Michigan and now enjoys living in Helena, Montana. She graduated from the University of Findlay with a B.S. in Recreation Therapy and Equine Science. Heather has been involved with horses for 15 years and during college and has worked with many types of horses.
Heather has experience working in three different therapeutic riding facilities; one in Pennsylvania, one in Michigan and currently with Fresh Steps in Helena, Montana. She has worked with people of all abilities in Therapeutic Riding and as a Recreation Therapist.
Heather is an active member in NARHA and American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA). She continuously improves her education in both Therapeutic Riding and Recreation Therapy. She has also presented at Therapeutic Recreation Workshops on the topics of Therapeutic Horsemanship and Relaxation Therapy.
