Suzanne MacPhail

Profile

About Suzanne MacPhail

With over 28 years of dedicated experience in the mental health field, Suzanne MacPhail, LMHC, is the Founder and Executive Director of Hands for Healing Equine in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

A graduate of Cambridge College, Suzanne has cultivated a deep expertise in helping individuals navigate the complexities of trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and grief. Her practice is built on the belief that true transformation requires moving beyond traditional coping mechanisms to address and rewrite the subconscious patterns that shape our lives.

Suzanne’s unique approach is characterized by a sophisticated blend of licensed mental health therapy and innovative mind-body methods. She specializes in using unconscious language techniques and body-based awareness–often referred to as body electronics–to help people regulate their nervous systems and safely explore deep-seated emotional patterns. Her work is particularly effective for those seeking to release trapped emotions and build resilient new pathways for personal growth and identity development.

At the heart of her practice is a specialized focus on Equine-Assisted Learning, and that focus is at the heart of Hands for Healing Equine. As a licensed riding instructor with a lifelong connection to animals, Suzanne uses the farm environment and equine experiences as powerful metaphors for emotional pain and healing.

At Hands for Healing Equine, people work with their equine partners to build meaningful connections, foster trust, emotional awareness, communication, and confidence, while they develop practical life skills that translate beyond the barn

Certifications: Counselor, MEd, LMHC, EA

Education: Cambridge College

Geographic Area Serviced: Essex County, MA; Boxford, MA; Topsfield, MA; Hamilton, MA; Wenham, MA; Boxford, MA; Georgetown, MA; Danvers, MA; Middleton, MA; Ipswich, MA; Essex, MA; North Andover, MA

Area of Expertise: 1. Healing Herd is a six-week equine-assisted learning circle for women in recovery. It's not therapy, and it's not a support group — it's six weeks of practicing the skills recovery asks of you, with partners who give immediate, honest feedback on what you bring into the arena. Ground-based. No riding. No prior experience needed. 2. Mothers Mourning Brush is an eight-week equine-assisted learning circle for mothers navigating loss — of a child, a relationship, a version of motherhood, a future imagined. Ground-based. No riding. Just presence, brushwork, and the slow work of being met where you are.3. Our Veterans Program is an eight-week equine-assisted learning pilot built for those who've served. Ground-based. No riding is required. Structured around what the herd offers — a return to body, breath, and present-moment trust, without rank, and without anyone asking you to explain yourself before you're ready.

Types of Horses: We have two horses and two donkeys: Momma (Standardbred ), Sophie (Argentine Thoroughbred), Autumn (Hinny), and Poe (Standard Donkey)

Location