Mrs. Patti Mandrell

Patti Mandrell is cofounder of REFUGE Services. She serves as Director of Therapy Services supervising all therapists employees by Refuge Services. Prior, Patti served as a program director for a residential treatment center for girls with eating disorders in south Texas and started her practice at a church affiliated counseling center in Lubbo, Texas. Patti was the first professional counselor to be nationally certified in Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) in the state of Texas, and she and her husband, Randy, were among the first group to reach highest status/training with EAP in the country. She has been incorporating EAP for over 25 years and a Christian counselor for over 26 years. She is a certified trainer and approved supervisor for the International Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. Patti received her master’s counseling degree at Texas Tech University. Patti has been spotlighted and interviewed in numerous local, state and national publications and television broadcastings promoting the use of EAP when working with families and children. She wrote the first textbook used in numerous colleges/universities about EAP “Introduction to Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.” Her strong Christian values guide her work with all specialty areas which include complex trauma, anxiety, depression, and secondary trauma.