From ESL Classrooms to Equine Therapy: Moira’s Unlikely Path to Psychotherapy

Published on: 11 May, 2025
Updated on: 11 May, 2025

By Stella Kuchanny

For Moira, a Canadian now working in Surrey, the journey to finding her true calling has been anything but straightforward.

Originally from Vancouver Island, BC, Moira spent years teaching English abroad in Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai. But after six years in the classroom, she realised something crucial: this wasn’t the life she wanted.

“Covid gave me the chance to slow down,” she says. “I started CBT and counselling, and for the first time, I understood what it felt like to find something that truly resonated.”

That something was psychotherapy—specifically, equine-assisted therapy. Moira had always loved horses. Childhood lessons evolved into a deeper curiosity about the animal itself: its instincts, its mind, its ability to reflect emotion.

That passion evolved into purpose through a series of internships from British Columbia to Hawaii, Mexico to the Yukon, and most recently, at Ride High, a UK-based charity. There, she helped children facing trauma and behavioural challenges by connecting them with horses in therapeutic ways.

“This career path built itself from the ground up,” she says. “I didn’t find equine therapy—it found me.”

Now accepted onto a one-year psychotherapy Master’s course in the UK, Moira is facing an unexpected financial hurdle. Despite saving and working full-time in hospitality, she was recently denied a government loan due to technical residency requirements. As an international student, she’s required to show full funds upfront—something her savings alone cannot cover.

“I’m not trying to avoid loans. I simply can’t get one. I’m using every resource I can before I have to give up my place,” she explains. Her GoFundMe page is a last resort.

“It’s humbling,” she adds. “But it’s also a reflection of the wider issue: international students are being priced out of meaningful education.”

To support Moira’s journey or learn more, visit: https://gofund.me/49ebc528