Andrea Metcalf, LSCSW, Clinical Director
Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW)
EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, and Consultant-in-Training (CIT)
EquiLateral ™ Trained EMDR Therapist
PATH, Intl. Equine Specialist Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL)
Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Andrea completed her Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work at The University of Kansas. She has extensive experience working with clients needing acute inpatient psychiatric admission, ER/crisis-intervention, Intensive Outpatient Groups (IOP), individual therapy, and equine-assisted trauma therapies. Andrea has specialized training focused in perinatal mental health, as well as anxiety and trauma experienced by medical professionals and Veterans/First-Responders. Treatment planning includes: EMDR, CBT, DBT, ACT, and Equine-Assisted Counseling, and EquiLateral: The Equine-Assisted EMDR Protocol ®.
Andrea is an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Consultant-in-Training with The Touchstone Institute. Andrea is available for individual and group EMDR Consultation Foundational EMDR Training with The Touchstone Institute, for those seeking EMDRIA approved EMDR Certification, or drop-in case consultation.
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Andrea fell in love with horses very early in life, and knows first hand how being around horses helps us to regulate and process emotions. Andrea first became involved with Heartland Therapeutic Riding as a teen volunteer in 2000 and has dreamed of creating an equine-assisted program at Heartland ever since. After becoming mom to a micro-preemie, and decades of navigating the medical and mental health systems professionally, Andrea found her "trifecta of passion" providing Equine-Assisted Counseling for adolescents and adults in Kansas City.
Dustin "Dusty" Grier, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Candidate working towards PATH, intl. Equine-Assisted Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL)
Dusty is a Licensed Professional Counselor and graduated from Southern Arkansas University with a Master’s Degree in Clinical & Mental Health Counseling in 2021. Dusty holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Psychology from The University of Central Arkansas. He has extensive experience working with clients in acute care settings, individual therapy, and residential programs where he practiced individual, group, and family counseling. His specialties include Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, and PTSD treatment. Dusty incorporates various therapeutic modalities including CBT & DBT with a person-centered approach.
As a kid he always dreamed of having his own horses and would often “pick out” his horse while watching westerns. He has always had the utmost respect for horses for the value that they bring to our lives. Upon moving to the Kansas City area six years ago he realized that he felt called to work with kids, teens, and young adults. Being able to combine “work” with his admiration of horses is a dream come true.
“For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins.” – Melissa James
Cassidy Haag, LMSW
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
Intensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS)
Candidate working towards PATH, intl. Equine-Assisted Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL)
Cassidy completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work at Washburn University and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work at the University of Kansas. Cassidy’s professional experience includes The Family Service & Guidance Center as an Attendant Care Provider where she provided respite care with adolescent clients. At the Lilac Center, Cassidy co-led adolescent IOP and provided 1:1 therapy. Currently she also practices at Clarity Counseling where she provides 1:1 therapy and Emotional Support Animal (ESA) evals and letters.
I’ve always been interested in integrating animals into healing work as I grew up with my dog who helped me during rough patches and I realized how much of a difference she made to my mental health. I also grew up taking riding lessons (English and western) and I also got involved with my local 4-H horse club and competed in horse shows. I have seen both the mental and physical benefits of working with animals through myself and others. I believe each person's journey is unique and deserves empathy and understanding. I view mental health as a changing spectrum influenced by biology, environment, and life experiences.
Healing is more than the absence of illness. It involves well-being, realizing abilities, managing stress, and working productively. I use a holistic approach, addressing both symptoms and underlying causes by considering the mind, body, and spirit. I believe in resilience, self-compassion, and growth, viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and development.
Leah Longo, ESMHL Volunteer
PATH, Intl. Equine Specialist Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) Volunteer
Leah M. Longo, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist with a doctoral degree in clinical forensic psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Anaheim, CA. She is licensed in the states of Kansas, Missouri, and California and primarily practices within the medical/legal and forensic settings. Dr. Longo’s primary practice includes conducting pre-employment evaluations for police, fire, and public safety personnel. She also is experienced in conducting fitness for duty evaluations, competency evaluations, parenting evaluations, guardianship evaluations, workers’ compensation evaluations and treatment, full psychological evaluations, and issues related to risk assessment. She also has experience working with adults who have experienced a TBI or have mild cognitive impairment.
Leah holds a certification as a therapeutic riding instructor and is an Equine-Assisted Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. Her interests include mood and anxiety disorders, medical/legal issues, crisis response and intervention, ADHD, biofeedback, and trauma-related disorders.
Ellen Clevenger
Yoga Instructor
PATH, Intl. Equine Specialist Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) Volunteer
April Hatch, RN, MSN
Graduate Student, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, PMHNP (UMKC)
Registered Yoga Teacher, RYT
April brings a deep passion for helping each client heal their mind, body, and spirit. A registered nurse for over 20 years, April has never stopped learning or evolving in her commitment to patient-centered care. From earning her Master’s in Public Health Nursing in 2010 to completing the Psychedelic Therapy and Research program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in 2022, and a soon to be graduate of a PMHNP program, she feels it has come full circle.
Having witnessed firsthand the limitations and failures of today’s healthcare system, she became increasingly motivated to seek approaches that truly support healing. With a longstanding belief in the importance of lifestyle, nutrition, and movement, April has always remained open to what genuinely helps patients thrive. Throughout her work, April has consistently provided care through a heart-centered, holistic lens.
Additionally, April is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), integrating yogic principles of breath and movement into therapeutic care when appropriate. April bridges traditional psychiatry with emerging approaches to wellness and remains deeply dedicated to helping people feel whole again – utilizing her compassionate presence, clinical insight, and lived experience.
She has been interested in equine-assisted therapy for years and she is grateful for the opportunity to complete her clinical therapy hours at Heartland.
