Clarisse Charland is a Master’s Level Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor offering individual therapy, DWI aftercare and LADC evaluations.  She has been working as a substance abuse counselor since 1992, having worked in schools and non-profit agencies before beginning her private practice in 2007.  She has trained extensively with Helga Matzko at the Gestalt Institute in Rhode Island (www.GestaltRI.com) (www.PurposefulIntention.com).

Clarisse is especially excited to offer Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (www.eagala.org), which combines her lifelong love of horses with her work as a therapist.  The focus of EAP is not horsemanship.  Each session involves setting up ground activities in which the participant and the horse are challenged to accomplish a specific goal.  The participant’s reaction to the horse, and the horse’s reaction to the participant, can help demonstrate problems in relationships, as well as difficulties with thought patterns, feelings and behaviors.