Help Me Heal Young Minds Through Equine Therapy

Hi there,

I am Moira and first I want to thank you so much for visiting my page. I know there are many causes out there, so your time and attention mean the world to me.

I am humbly asking for your support to finish my journey to become a Psychotherapist and dedicate my career to helping children grow through equine-assisted therapy. This is the amazing process of using interactions with horses for emotional development.

Why I Need Your Help

Unfortunately, I just found out that because I was out of Canada most of 2024, I do not qualify for government aid for postgraduate studies. I was completing a necessary equine therapy apprenticeship for certification, and was not a resident during this time. Nor can I get a bank loan (I've contacted all banks) in Canada/England, as I cannot find a cosigner.

Although I have spent the last two years saving for my studies, it was never going to be enough to cover the entire fees, and I was relying on loans to make up the difference. I am actively applying for scholarships but the small bursaries I’ve received so far simply aren’t enough.

Therefore, I am in 'financial limbo.'

This month, I finished a course at Oxford, Psychotherapeutic Counselling, where I learned the fundamentals for this career, as my first degree is unrelated. This course allowed me to meet the academic requirements to enter a Master's in this field. I paid for this myself. I plan to start a MSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy this August. I chose to study in the UK because the program is more time efficient than Canada. However, that means paying international student fees. A full course load makes full-time work impossible. I am currently working in hospitality to save as much as I can. I have turned to this platform in hopes of raising CAD $ 59,700 to fill the gap left to pay for tuition, mandatory 450 supervised practice hours and personal therapy sessions. I am hoping to raise this amount by May 30th, 2025

My Story:

I am a Canadian studying in the UK with the goal of becoming a registered psychotherapist. I am especially drawn to working with children suffering from depression and anxiety, a cause that is deeply personal to me. I hope to do this work through both, talk and equine- assisted therapy. I have been working in the field for two years assisting and observing this amazing process between horse and human.

For a long time, I struggled to find my calling. It wasn’t until I began my own mental health journey that I discovered how powerful and transformative therapy could be. That experience not only helped me heal—it gave me direction.

Over the years, I’ve gained meaningful experience working with:

Refugees

Young women in Saudi Arabia

Equine-assisted therapy for those with trauma, anxiety,depression

These experiences have affirmed that this is my purpose—to create safe spaces where children can heal, grow, and be seen.

How You Can Help

Your support—whether financial or by sharing this page—will directly impact not only my career, but the lives of many children and families I hope to serve in the future.

If you believe in mental health access, in healing trauma, and in the power of human- animal connection, please support my journey.

Donate if you can

Share this link with your network

I don’t want to quit and start over after coming this far, and with your help, I won’t have to.

Much gratitude,

Moira