FAQ's

Why is the phrase “Join the Herd” used?

What training/certificates do Shanna and Sam have?

Do I have to be referred by a Primary Care Physician (PCP), or other physician in order to qualify for Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)?

Who can benefit from EMDR?

Do you offer telehealth services? 

Can I participate in EAP if I’m being seen by another therapist at an office too?

What if I do not have a specific diagnosis, or my diagnosis/ symptoms are not listed? Is it possible to still work with the horses? 

Are events covered under insurance?

Why are the horses’ names not revealed?

Do you have group pricing if an organization wants to attend events at Divine Interactions?

What is EAL?

What is EA-EMDR?

What is HSP?

Do I have to be a client of Divine Interactions participating in counseling/therapy in order to attend/participate in events? 

What is EAP?

Is there a group discount if attending as a church, corporate retreat, or scout outing, etc.?

What insurances do you accept?

Do you use masks during events/therapy sessions? 

What types of payments do you accept for events and therapy?

What symptoms or diagnoses does Divine Interactions work with?

Do you have events year-round? 

What if I’m unsure I can be treated by Equine-Assisted Therapy?

Unlike pack animals, herd animals can live harmoniously among other herd animals and their primary focus is safety. Therefore, we can learn to become less pack-like and more herd-like in our own lives, looking out for and supporting one another.

Shanna has:
BA in Applied Psychology from Pennsylvania State University
 MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Geneva College
 Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
 Certified by OK. Corral Series under Greg Kersten
 National Certified Counselor
 Licensed Professional Counselor
Basic Training in EMDR by EMDR Consulting
Trained in Equilateral Protocol for EA-EMDR

Sam has:
   Equine Specialist
   Certified by OK. Corral Series under Greg Kersten
   Former Veterinarian Technician
   Trained in Equilateral Protocol for EA-EMDR

We like our horses to be relatively "blank slates" for our clients at first so that they can get to know them without any preconceived notions or assumptions about their personalities.  Eventually clients will get to know each horse's name and recovery story as treatment progresses.  

At this time Divine Interactions is in network with commercial UPMC, Highmark/Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Optum/United Behavioral Health, Aetna, and Cigna health insurance plans. 
We are not currently in network with any Medicaid or Medicare insurance plans.
Please contact your insurance company to verify coverage. 

Co-insurance, co-pays, deductibles, and self-pay for therapy/counseling sessions are payable via cash, check, or credit card (using our secure HIPAA compliant EHR platform). 
The equine specialist services charges payable to Boeser Equine are payable via cash, check, card (processed with PayPal), or PayPal.  Payments for events are payable with Eventbrite (preferred), cash, check, or PayPal.

Please contact us Monday- Friday between 9am-5pm for pricing. We can be reached at Phone Number: 724-567-8988

Please contact us Monday- Friday between 9am-5pm for pricing. We can be reached at
Phone Number: 724-567-8988

No, anyone is invited to join us for events – both those who come to us for counseling/therapy and those who do not! All wellness events are open to the community.  We strongly believe everyone can benefit from self-care and mindfulness practices!  All are welcome and encouraged to participate in events and bring friends and family too!

Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) harnesses the same power of Equine-Assisted Philosophy Principles and exercises in a broader sense so that everyone can benefit from equine-assisted work to enhance their wellness, not just those seeking therapy/counseling.

HSP stands for "Highly Sensitive Person", a term coined by Dr. Elaine Aron.  
There is actually a 15-20% subset of the population who have a temperament trait known as “Sensory-Processing Sensitivity” (SPS), and since horses are also highly sensitive we utilize their instincts and behavior to help clients learn about both the strengths and challenges of the trait.

Equine-Assisted Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy is the premiere integration of Equine- Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and EMDR, which utilizes equine-assisted interventions throughout all eight phases of EMDR.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) implements the power of Equine-Assisted Philosophy Principles and exercises to support clients in reaching their therapy/counseling goals.

You can wear a mask if you are more comfortable with one on, or if you are immunocompromised, but we do not require everyone to wear a mask at this time.  We will update our mask requirement or lack thereof as needed according to current CDC guidelines.

No, a referral from another healthcare provider is not required to become a client and you can self-refer, however many of our clients are referred by other psychiatric healthcare providers and we do collaborate with other providers for continuity of care.

No, insurances only cover individual and group counseling/therapy sessions at this time. 
Our wellness events fall under the category of "equine-assisted activities", sometimes "equine-assisted learning", and are not group therapy.

You may be able to continue with your other therapy concurrently during equine-assisted psychotherapy as long as you are receiving specialized treatment (for example, EMDR) that is not being billed for the same diagnosis on the same day as your other therapy.  You must also sign an authorization to release information to your primary therapist for continuity of care.  Please confirm with your insurance provider, primary therapist, and our team to clarify.  EAL may be recommended as a better option than EAP,
depending on your situation.

Please contact us Monday- Friday between 9am-5pm for a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your needs. We can be reached at
Phone Number: 724-567-8988

Those who have experienced trauma and are suffering from post-traumatic stress are most likely to benefit from EMDR (such as first responders, healthcare providers, etc.) however EMDR can also benefit those suffering from anxiety, depression, and more!

Yes, we do offer telehealth services utilizing HIPAA compliant platforms Therapy Notes, Psychology Today Sessions, and Bilateral Base.

Anxiety       Depression     Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Self-Esteem        Boundaries & Assertiveness       Life Transitions
Situational Stressors       & More

Our wellness events are typically held from May - October when weather
is most conducive and comfortable for our participants

Please contact us Monday- Friday between 9am-5pm for a free 15-minute consultation. We can be reached at Phone Number: 724-567-8988