Meet our team.
Our team
EQUINE SPECIALIST, TASC COORDINATOR
Carrie Melear, Eagala Advanced Certified
Carrie has been involved with and loved horses her entire life. She’s been working professionally in the equine industry for over 25 years. Carrie attended her first Eagala training 18 years ago and has been hooked ever since. She’s been the Director of Eliada’s therapeutic animal program for 16 years. She currently holds Advanced Certification in Eagala, ARCH Designations in Horses and Mental Health, and was previously a PATH certified riding instructor. She also has training in Natural Lifemanship.
LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
Lauren Penley, LMFT
Hello- Lauren here! I first graduated from East Tennessee State University in 2014, with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs, and then in 2017 received my Master’s in Couples and Family Counseling from the same university. I hold ARCH Designations in Horses and Mental Health, and am trained in Level 1 Internal Family Systems theory. When I’m not at work, I enjoy picking up a book from my never-ending to-be-read pile, or watching too many TikToks. My favorite part of being a therapist is to work in partnership with a client, and watch them discover that they are, in fact, the expert on themselves.