Amanda Hoppe
Amanda started as a volunteer mentor and exercise rider for Animals as Natural Therapy in Bellingham, Washington in 2001 while she earned her Bachelor’s degrees in english and anthropology from Western Washington University. She earned her PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) certification in 2010 a year after earning her Master’s degree in english, and was among the first PATH members to earn the new Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning (ESMHL) certification in 2012. Working alongside certified counselors, horses, goats, chickens, cats, and dogs, Amanda specialized in helping children, teens, and veterans overcome social-emotional issues, addiction, and trauma.
After moving to Austin, she joined the team at Healing with Horses Ranch as a part of their equine-assisted psychotherapy & equine-assisted learning programs in 2021. As well as teaching riding & horsemanship, she also teaches english as an adjunct instructor, first for Whatcom Community College starting in 2010, and then for Austin Community College in 2023. She currently lives in Kyle, Texas, with her two boys, husband, and herd of cacti. If you catch her at the right moment, she’ll tell you more than you want to know about werewolves.