About Me
Hello! I’m Shannon
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
I’m Shannon Hansen LMFT, and I feel truly honored being able to live in the BEAUTIFUL state of Colorado and practice equine assisted therapy and nature-based therapy, incorporating the healing power of horses, donkeys, dogs, goats, chickens and the natural world. These therapeutic methods are designed to help you strengthen your connection with yourself and others, while equipping you with the tools and confidence to face life’s challenges. I’m committed to being a supportive partner on your journey toward healing, growth, and meaningful change.
A little bit about my background, I grew up in Phoenix, AZ and went to Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT studying Equine Assisted Therapy and Psychology before realizing it was way too cold for me up there. I transferred down to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX where I finished my bachelors degree with concentrations in Human Development and Family Studies, Addictive Disorders and Recovery Studies, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. I stayed at TTU to complete my masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, graduating in 2018. In 2019, I finally moved to Colorado, which has been a dream of mine since I was young.
I’m passionate about helping people heal, grow, and thrive, particularly those struggling with depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, grief, or processing emotions from major life events or medical diagnoses. I understand that these challenges can make you feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you, and I’m here to help you reconnect through unique approaches like animal-assisted and nature-based therapy.
My Approach & Values
I believe that healing happens best when therapy is meaningful and engaging. Ideal clients for my work are those ready for change and committed to the process of healing and growing. Whether you’re seeking to overcome anxiety/ depression, navigate relationship challenges, or gain resources to face life’s challenges, I feel confident in my ability to walk alongside you to support your therapeutic journey.
Whether we’re working indoors, outdoors, or virtually, I tailor each session to meet your specific needs, creating a compassionate, safe space where you can explore emotions, build resilience, gain resources, and make meaningful changes in your life.
I think therapy should be a dynamic and personalized experience. My approach combines traditional therapy models such as Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and other approaches with unique, hands-on methods like Gestalt Equine Psychotherapy and Nature-Based Therapy to help you engage more deeply in the healing process.
Gestalt Equine Psychotherapy
Gestalt Therapy is defined as the process of exploring our experience in and of relationship while in relationship. Holding ‘I-Thou’ with the utmost respect, working to support growth in relationship, deepening contact, and inspiring creative choice are core tenants of this therapy. Gestalt Equine Psychotherapy (GEP) holds the above definition as fundamental as we integrate horses, and therefore nature, into the therapeutic process. Horses bring desire for relationship without prejudice, seeking contact and congruence as the only criteria for the creation of emotional intimacy. Nature exemplifies awareness and presence, providing an opening for us to move into contact and connection in the way in which we are designed – unburdened by layers of familial, societal, and systemic introjects. Horses and nature therefore allow the opportunity to re-create our original attachment with ourselves, the environment, and others when we have experienced emotional injury, relational rupture and/or loss. Gestalt Equine Psychotherapy is our journey into land/nature/equine- based relationship which provides the foundation to heal the nature of our being.
(Written by Duey Freeman and Kimberly Rose, founders of GEP)
Meet the Herd
