From Barn 2 Clinic
May 6, 2026 @ 7:00PM — 8:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) Add to Calendar
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From Barn 2 Clinic: Story-Driven Lessons from the Resilience Equine-Assisted Learning Program with Nursing Students
Join HHRF and speakers Susan Lally, Dr. Mitzi Pestaner, and Dr. Cheryl Meola on May 6, 2026 at 7:00pm (ET) as they discuss The Resilience Equine-Assisted Learning (REAL) program and offer participants vivid, adaptable examples and “field-tested” tips you can picture using in your own setting to bring equine-assisted learning to life.
From Barn 2 Clinic: Story-Driven Lessons from the Resilience Equine-Assisted Learning Program with Nursing Students
The Resilience Equine-Assisted Learning (REAL) program addresses this need by integrating experiential, unmounted equine-assisted activities into nursing education. Horses offer a unique form of feedback—mirroring human emotional states and responding to presence and intention—allowing students to practice emotional regulation, clear communication, and relational awareness in real time. The skills gained in the arena transfer directly to the clinical setting, equipping future nurses to remain calm, present, and compassionate under pressure. Equally critical to the success of programs like REAL is the strength of the partnerships behind them.
The field of equine-assisted services (EAS) faces the challenge of scaling programs while maintaining fidelity, ethical standards, and meaningful outcomes. Multisite collaborations—such as the partnership between East Carolina University and the University of Nevada, Reno—make it possible to gather stronger data, accommodate regional differences, and test replicability across settings. These collaborations also foster shared learning, expand funding opportunities, and raise the credibility of EAS within health care and academic research. By sharing both the story and structure of the REAL program, this presentation will illustrate how addressing burnout in health care education and strengthening multisite partnerships can work hand-in-hand to advance the field of EAS and produce lasting, measurable benefits for participants.
About our speakers:
Susan W. Lally, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, APHN-BC
Susan Lally is a Clinical Associate Professor at ECU College of Nursing and teaches mental health nursing in the Department of Baccalaureate Education. She also works as a PMHNP and offers a holistic approach to healing through both equine-assisted psychotherapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
Mitzi C. Pestaner, PhD, JD, LLM, RN
Dr. Pestaner is an Assistant Professor at ECU College of Nursing and teaches mental health nursing in the Department of Baccalaureate Education. Her nursing experience in mental health includes caring for patients as a staff nurse and in administrative roles in acute care and community settings. Her research interests include the role of protective factors in adolescent suicide prevention and strategies to optimize educational outcomes for nursing students.
Cheryl Meola, PhD, LCMHCS
Dr. Meola is an Assistant Professor at East Carolina University in the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies, where she teaches graduate counseling courses and supervises clinical training. She is the founder of Mane Source Counseling, a private practice specializing in equine-assisted psychotherapy, and an active researcher in equine-assisted interventions, resilience, and nervous system regulation. Her work focuses on integrating nature-based and animal-assisted approaches into mental health care and on translating research into practical tools for practitioners.