In the stillness of a country pasture, where the only sounds are the rhythm of hooves and a child's quiet laughter, a unique type of therapy is bringing healing to those determined to find hope. Not every wound is visible. Not every cure comes in a bottle. Sometimes, it begins in the soft nuzzle of a horse, the steady hand of a therapist who refuses to give up, and the steadfast attempt to offer the certainty that every child deserves to, and can, feel safe and whole.
That vision has guided Stacey Gillette, founder of T-K Ranch Equine Assisted Coaching, every step of the way. A lifelong resident of the Farmington area, Stacey grew up on the ranch, and now lives just down the road. After graduating from Central High School in 2010, she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in social work from Saint Louis University, then spent years working in hospital systems, including Mercy Jefferson. But traditional mental health settings never felt like home for Stacey.
"It never felt like I was where I was supposed to be," she says. "I knew there had to be another way to help people feel seen and supported."
In 2017, with the encouragement of her parents, Tom and Kelly-whose initials inspired the ranch's name-Stacey transformed part of their land in Farmington into a space dedicated to something different: therapy rooted in connection, trust, and the healing bond between humans and animals; Equine Therapy.
From the start, T-K Ranch has stood out among mental health practices in the region. While many clinicians focus solely on traditional therapy methods, Stacey has built an approach that blends evidence-based treatments rarely found in rural Missouri, with the powerful presence of horses. Equine therapy, also called equine-assisted psychotherapy, uses guided interactions with horses to help people process emotions, and develop healthy coping skills. Equine therapy can benefit people of all ages, from children working through trauma or behavioral challenges, to adults managing anxiety, depression, or grief. It's also widely used to support veterans and first responders coping with PTSD, offering a calming environment where they can build trust and regain a sense of control.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, Equine Therapy engages the body and senses, creating powerful opportunities for growth that often feel more approachable-especially for children, teens, and even veterans. Stacey's goal is to bring evidence based treatments to our area provided by highly trained professionals. This lead her to a natural partnership with Elyse Vesser, LCSW who is certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a leading trauma therapy that requires extensive continuing education, supervised clinical work, and rigorous credentialing through the EMDR International Association. Stacey is also intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to treat severe emotional and behavioral challenges-making TK Ranch one of the only practices in the area to provide both, bringing a rare level of expertise to the Parkland.
"One of the things I've strived to do is make therapy more accessible," she says. That ideology guides every part of her work, from ensuring T-K Ranch accepts nearly every insurance plan, to partnering with the VA Community Care program so veterans can use their benefits for equine-assisted therapy close to home. In 2023, Stacey was encouraged by a good friend and mentor, Dale Wright, to expand her scope even further by partnering with Mineral Area College as an instructor and program leader, where she currently heads the Behavioral Health Support department and mentors the next generation of mental health professionals. And because she believes lasting change also requires systemic solutions, she began law school at SLU this year, determined to advocate for policy reforms that will ensure clinicians are fairly reimbursed-and that more children and families can access the care they deserve.
"My goal has always been to remove barriers," she says. "People shouldn't have to leave their community to get the therapy they need."
That commitment to accessibility and excellence naturally led to a partnership with Rocky Creek Youth Ranch, a nonprofit in Park Hills dedicated to helping youth in crisis. Once a church camp, Rocky Creek reopened in 2015 as a residential community serving up to 40 children and teens who have faced trauma, instability, or neglect.
As Rocky Creek's Clinical Director, Stacey oversees therapy services for the ranch's residents, guiding a team of clinicians who blend individual counseling, group sessions, and equine-assisted programs. Once a month, Rocky Creek staff transports kids to T-K Ranch, where therapy unfolds in the pastures rather than a clinic. For many children, working alongside a gentle, patient horse fosters breakthroughs that traditional methods could never achieve.
Unlike typical riding programs, T-K Ranch focuses solely on groundwork. Kids learn to groom, guide, and connect with horses on the ground-building confidence, emotional regulation, and trust.
Even the animals themselves are cared for with remarkable dedication. Every six weeks, the horses receive pulsed electromagnetic therapy to ease muscle tension, along with chiropractic care and specialized dentistry. "Healing goes both ways," Stacey says. "When the horses feel their best, they can give their best."
Maintaining this level of care-for both children and horses-takes resources, commitment, and a community that believes in the mission. That's why both T-K Ranch and Rocky Creek Youth Ranch are heavily reliant on grants, donations, and fundraisers to keep their programs going strong. These contributions help cover everything from therapy scholarships to food, housing, supplies, and facility improvements. Together, they ensure that no child is ever turned away because of circumstances beyond their control.
If you're looking for a way to make a difference, your support can make this data driven service a standard of care rather than a luxury, for our families in need. Because sometimes, the most life-changing therapy doesn't look like therapy at all. It looks like a child and a horse, standing side by side under an open sky, forming mutual trust and respect, and building unbreakable bonds.
Visit www.tkrancheac.org and www.rcranch.org to learn more, donate, or volunteer. Together, we can help local kids conquer fears, find their voice, and make a giant friend.
Article by Kayle Nephew
Photography by Stephanie Zaricor
Originally published in Parkland City Lifestyle