Sarah Beasley
Occupational Therapist, Owner & Practice Manager of Strides Therapy Clinic
Sarah completed the BA Early Childhood Studies then worked in a range of services with the Brother’s of Charity and also in the Togher Family Centre in both the creche and preschools. She discovered hippotherapy for the first time while on a trip In Canada and as she has always had a passion for horses and loved working in the area of disability, this sounded like her dream job.
On returning from Canada, Sarah completed a MSc Occupational Therapy and then went on to train under the American Hippotherapy Association in both Fundacio Therapia a Cavall, Barcelona, Spain and in Skyline Therapy Services, Edgewood, New Mexico. She has been lucky enough to train with occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists from all around the world, giving her the opportunity to develop her knowledge and skills in many different areas.
Sarah opened Strides in 2014 and it was the first clinic of its kind in Ireland. Her dedication and determination to develop the use of hippotherapy in Ireland is admirable and Sarah is now a Board Certified Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist. She is passionate about the service we provide to our clients and their families, ensuring that all sessions are client-centred, evidence based and effective.
Sarah has recently been elected to the Board of Directors of the American Hippotherapy Association and has also started her education as an international apprentice faculty member of the American Hippotherapy Association.
Rebecca Sisk
Occupational Therapist
Rebecca graduated from University College Cork with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Years and Childhood Studies and then went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy in the University of Limerick. She is registered with CORU, is a member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI) and is the current Treasurer and Membership Secretary of the Paediatric Advisory Group. Rebecca travelled to the USA to complete her Level 1 – Hippotherapy Treatment Principles and is dedicated to continuing her professional development to provide the highest quality service for her clients.
Rebecca has clinical experience in a range of settings with both adults and children, including early intervention, mental health, neuro-rehabilitation, intellectual disability and primary care. She also has experience of Lámh and the PECS system. Rebecca enjoys using equine movement to help her clients to reach functional goals and is always happy to provide support to their families and caregivers.
Training & Membership:
- BA Early Years and Childhood Studies, University College Cork
- MSc Occupational Therapy, University of Limerick
- Part 1 Hippotherapy Treatment Principles, American Hippotherapy Association
- Member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland
- Treasurer and Membership Secretary for the Paediatric Advisory Group
- LAMH module one
- Occupational First Aid
- Informing and Supporting Families of Children with Disabilities Certified
- Children First Training Certified
- Introduction to Sensory Integration Difficulties, SI Network (UK & Ireland)
Hilary Casey
Occupational Therapist
Hilary initially graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science from University College Cork and went on to become a qualified Occupational Therapist after gaining her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from University of Limerick.
Working with children is a passion of Hilary’s and her clinical experience is primarily in paediatric settings; including physical disability, intellectual disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder settings. She also has clinical experience working with older adults in hospital rehabilitation and nursing homes. Continuing Professional Development is very important to Hilary, she is CORU registered and a member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI).
Hilary loves horses and believes in the treatment strategy of hippotherapy as a way of reaching functional outcomes for her clients, for this reason she completed her Level I Hippotherapy Treatment Principles in America. Through her work she aims to support families of children with disabilities and developmental delays by helping them to reach goals that will enhance their quality of life.
Training & Membership:
- BA Social Science, University College Cork
- MSc Occupational Therapy, University of Limerick
- Part 1 Hippotherapy Treatment Principles, American Hippotherapy Association
- Member of the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland
- First Aid Certified, with CPR and AED training
- People Moving and Handling Training Certified
- Informing and Supporting Families of Children with Disabilities Certified
- Children First Training Certified
- LAMH module one
- Epilepsy Training
Kate Logan
Speech & Language Therapist
Kate is a qualified Speech and Language Therapist who graduated with a Bachelors Degree from University College Cork. Kate has a range of experience working in many different paediatric settings including Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Early Intervention, Primary Care and School settings. Kate has a great love for horses since a young age and is passionate about the use of hippotherapy as a treatment strategy to promote communication amongst clients. Kate focuses on client centred goals and aims to support families of the client. Kate has experience working with visuals, PECS and has delivered parent and teacher training. Kate is a member of Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) and CORU registered.
Training & Membership:
- BSc Speech and Language Therapy, University College Cork
- Member of the Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists
- ADI-R training Certified
- ADOS-2 training Certified
- Lámh Sign Language Module One Training Certified
- MAPA training
- Manual Handling Training
- Cygnet Program training
- Fun with Food
- LEGO Therapy