• I read about Ellen in the Coastal Vibe magazine while we were visiting my in-laws in Gibsons this August. I contacted her immediately to schedule a session for my daughter, Charlotte, who has ASD and ADHD. Ellen was very quick to reply, accommodating and flexible. I appreciated that she asked me some questions about Charlotte prior to our farm visit. Charlotte took to Ellen instantly and they ran off together to see the horses and the stable. During the session, I saw them do art activities, mindfulness exercises, horsemanship; brushing and talking to the ponies, stroking the horses and learning about them. I saw Charlotte become calmer and more engaged with her brain at the same time. Ellen is calm and knowledgeable and Charlotte was totally engaged and captivated during her therapy session. I only wish we lived closer so that we could visit Ellen and her amazing horses on a regular basis.

    — Lindsay Davidson (Sunshine Coast, West Coast, Canada) (Kid Client)

  • "I had the great pleasure of working with Ellen and her lovely herd on Bowen Island. I had a series of equine facilitated sessions with them. I very much miss Ellen's warmth, and her compassionate, intuitive, grounded presence. Feeling safe, trusting, seen and understood was spontaneous and instantaneous with her because of her loving and gentle yet very dynamic, engaging energy. Her horses each have their unique gifts and Ellen is an expert at guiding you to connect with them deeply. I experienced hugely transformative somatic and nervous system healing. I will never forget the moments of trauma release - the visions I had, the electrical current running through my entire body, and the resulting enlightenment and relief. I also learned to direct and align my energy in working with the horses. It's absolutely incredible how they respond to your energetic alignment and coherence, and not to your words or your actions!"

    —Candy Ho (Bowen Island, West Coast, Canada) (Adult Client)

  • When I first started doing equine therapy sessions with Ellen, I didn't know who I was. I was uncertain and wasn't able to set boundaries, I had low self esteem and had very high social anxiety. Due to being in hospital and experiencing chronic pain, I was always disconnected from my body and unable to be grounded and in my body. I've now been working with Ellen for over a year and I feel like the growth that I have made with her help has been exponential and past me would not have believed how far I've come if I would have told her. Ellen has taught me how to be present and grounded which I greatly appreciate. She is always so caring and understanding, and the way that she explains things to me just makes so much sense. We always laugh and have fun, and so learning about myself and growing as a human isn't a chore. Our sessions are something that I always look forward to because, I can say for a fact that nothing has ever had such an amazing and effective impact on my mental and physical health than my equine therapy journey with Ellen. She has great tools and recommendations that have never failed to improve my mental state and help me grow into the well rounded, self reflective human that I am today.

    —Amber Burbidge (North Vancouver, West Coast, Canada) (Teen Client)

  • My family and I had the pleasure of working with Ellen and her herd when she was on Bowen Island, it was a wonderful and very grounding experience for myself and my two young boys. She is wonderful with children and created a program for them that was interesting and really fun while also learning about connecting with themselves and honouring their boundaries, with themselves and others through working with her ponies. It's amazing how horses can mirror back to you how you’re feeling and help you to understand yourself and others better. I highly recommend working with Ellen, we will be making the 2 ferry trip to continue working with her and her lovely horses on the Sunshine Coast. Can’t wait!

    - Ashleigh Robin (Bowen Island, West Coast, Canada) (Kid Client)

  • “This retreat was an amazing experience. I’ve attended lots of Melanie’s events over the years. They are reliably deep and meaningful. I heard about equine therapy a long time ago. As an animal lover with a special connection with horses, I put it on my bucket list. When Melanie advertised a collaboration with Ellen and her horses, I knew I had to go! It’s hard to describe the experience because it was unlike anything I had done before. I will cherish the memories for my whole life, and hope to see the horses again someday. If I ever want to connect with the magical healing energy, I put on a dress I wore for the first time at the retreat. It brings me right back into my body, calms me down and makes me smile.”

    -  Genevieve (Sunshine Coast, West Coast, Canada) (Retreat participant)

  • This retreat has been one of the most profound experiences of my life. I have always loved attending any of Melanie's wonderful healing circles and events, so when I heard that she would be collaborating with Ellen for equine therapy I knew I had to go. I absolutely love animals and energy healing. The combination of their professions created such a deep-healing and magical experience for me. I was able to really dive into parts of myself that needed my attention. With the healing support of these beautiful intuitive horses and Ellen’s coaching, I was able to release a lot of deep stuff. Horses truly know how to heal and with the horse I worked with - lovely Cassey - I was able to feel safe and held for the first time in my life. Ellen and Melanie have really created one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I have learned a lot that I can carry with me going forward. I am Truly grateful.

    - Alyssa Kirkham (Sunshine Coast, West Coast, Canada) (Retreat participant)

  • I had the pleasure of meeting Ellen at her beautiful farm Sanctuary back in summer 2023. Immediately I was drawn to her warm and engaging approach. Working with Ellen and her healing herd has been nothing short of awe inspiring. The combination of magic from Ellen’s skillful coaching questions, breath work, intuitive body scan and connectivity to the incredible wisdom of the horses allowed me to uncover aspects of my healing journey that were deeply buried. This all happened, gently, safely and respect at my pace. The ripples of the work echo for weeks as I process and unravel what needs to come forward. For anyone looking for a unique experience to be seen, held by the strength, wisdom and power of an intuitive spirit heard and guided with loving care, this is an experience to gift yourself with Ellen. I’m very grateful to have found her.

    -  (Sunshine Coast, West Coast, Canada) (Adult client)