​​Growing up on a small farm, tragedy and loss were a huge part of my childhood.  My saving grace was a horse my father gave me when I was 12 years old.  I will always be grateful for the times we galloped across the fields and quietly walked through the woods with the deer. That jet black stallion truly saved me from my own sadness.  Those early experiences with the healing nature of his presence left a lasting impression on me as I entered into adulthood.

I became a secondary Reading Specialist with a focus on at-risk students.  My path led me to work with students that were throw aways, on their last chance to stay in school.  Immediately I connected with them as my past and theirs had too many similarities.  We connected over the trauma of dysfunctional family life, how addiction can eat away at a family, and the fear of being trapped.  How loss, like suicide can mess with a person long after their friend or family is gone.  These students were like horses in many ways, not knowing who to trust because that trust was broken early in their lives.  

During my years as an educator, I got students around horses any time I could.  One of the  most impactful experiences was when I wrote a grant for our entire at-risk program to go horse back riding in the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.  It was a defining moment for me as I saw the inspiration this grant had on our students.  They now had a desire to come to school, to work and stay focused, all the while keeping horses as part of our daily lessons - in literature and in art to keep students inspired.  When the trip finally came, every student was able to leave the city and go on this magical trip where they got to spend the day with horses, riding through one of the most beautiful, sacred places in our country.  

Horses were always close to my heart, even in that chapter of teaching in Denver.  The dream was to have a horse farm someday and share them with anyone who needed their healing presence. ​

My story had a unique turn of events when our family moved to the British Virgin Islands in 2012. The only reason I was willing to move there was because there were horses on the island where my husband would be working.  Island life is quiet... and perfect.  I loved it so much.  I spend hours and hours with these horses and they showed me things that I never knew. They spoke to me plain as day and I listened.  They were truly incredible beings, all with their own personalities.  Each one of them had a bond with one of the other horses and they were all so interesting to be around. The three years we were there, changed my life.  I knew that no matter what, I was going to figure out a way to share the healing power of horses. 

As the Universe would have it, I was able to save an old stallion that was thrown away after his genetics were no longer needed.  He was thin, anemic, and needed a great deal of care.  You can read about Magic on our horse page.  Like the island horses, he taught me how transformational a horse's energy is for humans when our heart is open. He started my journey to become an Equine Gestalt Coach.

All of my life experiences have come together at Wildfire Dreams.  As an artist, educator and equine enthusiast, I am honored to provide such valuable services to our community where the healing presence of horses create meaningful, transformational experiences for all.  

In 2020, our farm became Wildfire Dreams at Schön Frieden Farm.  

 Schön Frieden translates to "Beautiful Peace" in German, a way to honor my heritage.  

In 2025, Wildfire Dreams became officially recognized as a non-profit since we always operated like one, offering services at little or no cost to clients, children, and groups. 

Our future is to continue collaborating with other mental health and service providers who focus on wholeness and well-being in natural environments.  I am honored to have horses as my colleagues in this work.