Pia's Story
An adventure is great, a life-changing adventure is fantastic, and then reality sets in and daily life is not always that exciting, old behaviors lurk!
My journey started overseas in the Netherlands. As a 4-year-old, I told my Mom, with my green doll suit case in hand, "I am leaving for America!" When I lived in the Netherlands, I co-founded a school where the students, besides the regular academic curriculum, had the opportunity to fix up old furniture and sell it in the connected shop. This provided real-life experiences in the world of work and social connections. I love finding new adventure in everyday life. After my masters degree in Management and Social Sciences from the University of Amsterdam, I decided to try exactly what I called "a crazy adventure." I signed on to organize and facilitate expeditions throughout remote Europe with at-risk and incarcerated youth in an experiential effort to create behavior changes during 100-day treks. Some brutal expeditions taught me the Power of Presence while rescuing four young girls on a cliff during a white out. It does change one's life when you hold another's life in your hands. |
"Pia is a gifted therapist. She has great insight into the complicated emotions of young people and apparently, horses as well."
-- Local Art Therapist |
This is where I learned that I loved consultation and psychotherapy. Letting Mother Nature be the guide in transformational processes, I worked with hundreds of young people in their life-changing journeys, mostly directed to the next destination only by my compass. Expeditions in Norway, France and Spain changed the lives of young people and the life of this coach. I was in awe of the pure strength and honesty in everything natural and the cathartic transformation of experiential learning.
The journey to America took place by way of China where I taught English at a University right after the Tien A Min affair. Coming from a prosperous country where individuality is cherished, relating to the young female students was a challenge. We learned together. Teaching English became second to storytelling and opportunities for me to coach on the principles of individual freedom.
On to the land of the free! Counseling, teaching, and supervision in Larimer County in the non-profit sector was a blast! I also learned about the American culture. A steeper learning curve than I expected, particularly since I taught in the junior and senior high schools. You can imagine the teasing I received about my accent!
I learned over the years that I prefer equine-assisted psychotherapy as a model for change. Horses became a big part of my life once again. I had lived and played with these incredible creatures ever since I was a small child, sneaking out at night to ride wild horses with my best friend. I remember the European oil crisis in the early seventies when we would ride our horses in the middle of the highway on days driving a motorized vehicle was not allowed. What a blast!
Learning the ways of the equine has driven me to start Unbridled Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy; once again relying on my true north to guide me in this world. I invite you to join me on this journey! By the way, I still own that little green doll suitcase.
The journey to America took place by way of China where I taught English at a University right after the Tien A Min affair. Coming from a prosperous country where individuality is cherished, relating to the young female students was a challenge. We learned together. Teaching English became second to storytelling and opportunities for me to coach on the principles of individual freedom.
On to the land of the free! Counseling, teaching, and supervision in Larimer County in the non-profit sector was a blast! I also learned about the American culture. A steeper learning curve than I expected, particularly since I taught in the junior and senior high schools. You can imagine the teasing I received about my accent!
I learned over the years that I prefer equine-assisted psychotherapy as a model for change. Horses became a big part of my life once again. I had lived and played with these incredible creatures ever since I was a small child, sneaking out at night to ride wild horses with my best friend. I remember the European oil crisis in the early seventies when we would ride our horses in the middle of the highway on days driving a motorized vehicle was not allowed. What a blast!
Learning the ways of the equine has driven me to start Unbridled Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy; once again relying on my true north to guide me in this world. I invite you to join me on this journey! By the way, I still own that little green doll suitcase.
