Upcoming Workshops and Information on Our Team
Staff and Partners:
Jillian Rainwater, MA, LPC (she/her): Owner and Executive Director
Jill is a National Certified Counselor with the National Board of Certified Counselors. She provides EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), SFBT (Solution Focused Brief Therapy) and EFP (Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy) at Connected Growth & Wellness. She serves as a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor through PATH International, and her previous job experience includes providing therapy at healing centers such as Chastain Horse Park, Rooted Counseling and The Beekman Center. As a junior and collegiate equestrian, Jill won two national championships and three reserve national championships, and as recently as 2023 she won at the World Equestrian Center. She served as the captain of the Wake Forest University Hunt Seat Team and also rode on the Dressage and Saddleseat Teams. Known for speaking at workshops, hospitals, colleges and retreat centers, Jill also provides consulting and training to therapy and medical practices.
Taylor Dowd-Kerr (she/her): Trainer and Certified USHJA Instructor
Taylor is a Certified Trainer through the United States Hunter Jumper Association and has owned a very successful horse training program since 2015, often having a waiting list into the hundreds. Taylor focuses her style toward all around horsemanship. She educates horses and riders on the ground and in the saddle with a strong emphasis on confidence. Taylor's goal is to teach teamwork by producing riders that greatly advocate for their horse's comfort and care while also helping horses find fortitude and happiness to willingly perform their job. She runs two facilities in the Lansing area and has a reputation for providing expert care and training, individualized to each horse.
Dr. Amanda Buduris (she/her): EMDR Consultant and Growth Coach
Dr. Buduris is a Licensed Psychologist in Oregon and Washington who advises our Michigan program on strategy, best practices and clinical excellence. She is known for her ability to help practices across the country prioritize these areas: Inclusion, Growth, Authenticity and Connection. Dr. Buduris helped create Connected Growth & Wellness’s EMDR and EFP Intensives and our sister company, Strategic Leadership Collaborative’s, coaching program. She has dedicated her professional career to understanding how to help people move past where they get stuck, and teaching other practices across the country to do the same.
Maribeth Gajewski, LPC, NCC, ACS (she/her): Psychotherapist, Workshop and Group Leader
Maribeth is certified as a Trauma Focused Cogntiive Behavioral Therapist through the Trauma-Focused Cogntiive Behavioral Therapy National Therapist Certification Program. TFCBT is geared to support children and adolescents that have experienced trauma. Maribeth is also the owner and director of Always in My Heart Counseling and an Approved Clinical Supervisor through the National Board of Certified Counselors. She brings expertise and experience working with many parents and families. Family therapy provides an avenue for families to discuss concerns, identify needs and gain techniques for improving the household environment.
Dr. Jacqueline Elster, PsyD, HSPP (she/her): Psychologist, Workshop and Group Leader
Dr. Elster is a Clinical Psychologist, Supervisor and Owner and Director of Gabriel Counseling Services. She specializes in the assessment and holistic treatment of co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, such as trauma, anxiety and/or depression. Dr. Elster is certified in a number of evidenced based treatments including Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD, Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain, and has received specialized training in Motivational Interviewing, Seeking Safety, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotional Freedom Techniques and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.
Tristen Davis, LPC, MSMFT (he/him): Psychotherapist, PhD Candidate, Intensive Leader
Tristen’s practice, Davis Counseling Group, is partnering with Jill Rainwater, LPC, to offer specialized Couples and Trauma Intensives. We share a deep commitment to providing quality mental health care because we believe that everyone deserves access to compassionate and effective support. Our approach blends Emotionally Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Somatic and Attachment EMDR, and Shame-Informed Treatment Methods to help you gain deeper insight and clarity in your life and relationships. Inclusivity and respect are at the core of both practices. We are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment where clients from all backgrounds and identities feel safe, valued, and understood. We are honored to support you on your journey of self-discovery and growth. Together, we’ll navigate life’s challenges and help you embrace your most authentic, thriving relationships. Learn more about Tristen’s practice here.
Dustin Boehmer (he, him): Coach, Trainer, Farm Manager
Dustin runs DMB Performance Horses in mid-Michigan. He is an ABRA Judge, AQHA Professional Horseman, Clinician, Coach and Trainer. Dustin is the president-elect of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and currently oversees a YEDA team and two IEA teams. His youth program and enormous facility provide an environment for anyone looking to build community as well as a great backdrop for the majority of our equine therapy and experiential learning work. Dustin’s catch ride teams are a way for students to learn the versatility to ride multiple horses and help make the sport accessible to students with or without their own horse(s).
Leesa Massman (she/her): Performance Coach, Clinic Leader
A Michigan State coach for over twenty years, Leesa is renowned across the country as a successful instructor of nearly every horse division and breed. She is the owner and director of Leesa Massman Horsemanship, and a master coach whom other trainers and instructors call in to help riders and horses get unstuck. Leesa has a consistent track record of amazing achievement (Instructing over 160 National Champion riders!) and incredible skill at describing things in ways anyone can understand.
Coming soon! More details on our collaborations with DMB, Dowd and Equine Center for Learning.
In different seasons of each year, our team also includes interns from Michigan State University and exercise riders and handlers who keep our therapy horses in tip top condition and health, and loving their jobs. We will feature them and our horses on social media, so we hope you will follow their experiences there.
2024 Workshops:
Interested in joining us for a workshop?
Registration hasn’t opened yet, but you can have early access to it by emailing Hello@Michigan-EMDR.com with the subject line “Workshop Spot Hold” and specifying in the email body if you are interested in the parenting or trauma and anxiety workshop coming up this Fall. Stay tuned for the announcement of four more exciting events in the works including a clinic on optimizing horse and human athletic and psychological performance, an Introduction to Equine Therapy Workshop open to any licensed professional, and a PATH Instructor Training Weekend. We can’t wait to grow and learn with you!
Thanks to everyone helping our equine assisted therapy program grow!
The group of people whose kindness has helped make it possible for our newest therapy horse to join the team is too long to list! This month in particular, we’d like to express gratitude to the Arabian Horse Association, Lex Mayers Equine Massage Therapy, Zoe Malmed, Morgan McGrath, Dustin Boehmer and Taylor Dowd. Thank you for believing in Decko and for helping him transition to his new life here!
