Kate Nicoll, LCSW, RPT, is the founder and CEO of Soul Friends, Inc: Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of CT.  Kate grew up with a deep love and gratitude for her animal friends and how they helped her in times of childhood trauma. A graduate of Elms College and Smith College, Kate has worked in a variety of settings, including medical and psychiatric in-patient hospitals, private practices serving geriatric and adolescent clients, home care agencies and hospice.  As a young widowed woman with two children, Kate ran a grief program with the COVE for families and a young widows group.  At the age of 37, Kate came home from work as a social worker and then overnight became partially paralyzed from the neck down from a virus, leaving her with a devastating disability that still impacts her today.  Over several months, Kate noticed her dog responding to her physical and emotional pain - and this led to her taking a year-long certificate in Animal Assisted Therapy and led to the founding of Soul Friends, Inc.  In the past 20 years, Kate has presented at national and international conferences on the healing benefits of animals for children and families with trauma and loss.  Her equine-assisted psychotherapy curriculum, Horses Inspire, was the first in the country to provide a parent-relationship program for veteran and first responder families with the healing benefits of horses.  She is EAGALA certified, Natural Lifemanship, International Assisted Play Therapy, and Arenas for Change trained, as well as in equine EMDR.  Her first horse relationship with Easter Dawn, and now with Sweetie and Joey drive her passion in the field.

Soul Friends – Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Connecticut – Healing the hearts of children one wagging tail at a time… (soul-friends.org)