Renee Bouffard, LCSW.
1. What's your practice focus and what kind of clients knock on your door ?
At Healing Hoofbeats, we practice equine and animal supported psychotherapy. This is an experiential and relational model of therapy that is effective for people of all ages and with all diagnoses because our philosophy is that everything that happens in our lives (good and bad) happens in the context of relationships, and so it is through creating and maintaining healthy, mutually beneficial relationships with the farm animals that we begin to heal and change.
2. Tell us about yourself.
I have always been a horse person, spending much of my youth competing and training horses; and I have also been drawn to helping people. I was thrilled when I got my Masters to find out that combining my two passions (horses and social work) was actually a career option. When I graduated with my Masters I spent the next several years working in in-home programs for teens. I then began to build my practice for Healing Hoofbeats and quickly grew from a solo practice to a group practice!
3. Tell us the story of a patient who you are most proud of helping.
This is what I love about this model of therapy; that as a therapist, I can SEE my clients doing the work and working hard on their goals while in session. What comes to mind is a client who struggles greatly with boundaries, especially with her mother. In working with the horses, she has been able to learn that it is okay to cry, it is okay to say "no" and have healthy boundaries with her mother and all relationships. Something she had been working on for years prior to coming to work with me.
4. What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a practitioner in private practice?
Being in private practice has its benefits, but it can also be lonely. When I first started, I missed having coworkers and the ability to bounce ideas off of one another. Having a team is so important in this work in so many ways. So if you are solo, find your tribe
5. What are the top 3 tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a private practice today?\
Top 3 tips I would give someone getting into private practice is:
- You do not have to be good at everything! Know you're resources
- Continue to get supervision when needed, even if it is not easily accessible
- Breathe :)