Meet Our Practitioners

 

Joy Curran

Hi, welcome to Aligned Living! 

When you get me, you get the CEO! I am a trained professional counsellor who loves to find ways to help people thrive. As well as working in this industry for the past 10 years, I additionally more than 20 years of experience working with horses. With my experience, training and understanding I now teach others how to offer equine assisted learning.

I maintain a considerate and respectful attitude towards the needs of both client and horse. This is a dream job for me and I love helping people to be the best they can be through building relationships with horses. Equines helped me to learn social & emotional skills when I was a teen/young adult; now I want to extend that same opportunity to others.

I am a member of the ACA (Australian Counselling Association – registration #5892) with a Diploma of Counselling and an Advanced unit of Effective Parenting and Behaviour Management. I certified as a Foundation Level EAL practitioner with The Equine Psychotherapy Institute and I have also completed the Working with Children and Adolescents intensive with the same organisation. I achieved Horse Riding Instructor and Trail Ride Guide certification through Horse Safety Australia in 2014. To add to all that I also have a Diploma of Leadership and Management. I have participated in many short courses including Ways of Working with Aboriginal People, Using the Relationship to Work with Complex Young People, and I am a trained facilitator for the Families parenting course.

I have experience working with clients who are anxious, depressed, struggling with addictions, helping professionals, children, teens, women, men and survivors of sexual abuse.

I never stop learning and I believe that every client will assist me on my own journey of personal growth. We work together as a team, figuring out what works best for us. Being in relationship with horses has been a catalyst for all kinds of personal growth for me. Now I provide a safe environment to share with others what has been of so much value to me.

Joy is also a parent and step parent.

Cheryl Harris

Hi, my name is Cheryl!

I love people and horses and combining the two together is a dream job for me! I bring my horse “Teddy” to work with me, he also loves people and horses. I home schooled my 3 children and love to help others learn and explore new things. I also enjoy running parenting seminars and sharing the things I have learned over the years that help set our children up for success. On rainy days we have the option of using my art studio where we can use art to learn more about ourselves.

When I’m having a difficult day, I love to spend time in the paddock with my horse, it helps me feel so much better. I want to share that with others. We all have tough days sometimes, I like to give people a safe place to go to relax, connect and feel better again. I can’t wait to meet you and share my horse with you and support you on your journey. When I completed my certificate in Equine Assisted Learning, I discovered that there’s always something to learn and some way to grow that can make a difference. Let’s find it together!