Eliza Hitz, M.Ed. M.S. LCMHC

she/her/hers

eliza

Education

A native of Virginia, Eliza Hitz received her undergraduate degree from Princeton University. She taught for several years before returning to school to complete a Masters in Education (M.Ed.) at Harvard University and a Masters in Science (M.S.) in Mental Health Counseling at the University of Vermont. Eliza is also a state-certified licensed mental health counselor (LCMHC) in Utah.

Experience

Eliza started her career in psychotherapy as a family counselor in a community mental health agency in Vermont. Since then she has worked in a variety of clinical settings for almost two decades: She worked as a therapist at a residential treatment center in Syracuse; a family therapist in private practice in Murray; and, for the last ten years, as a primary therapist and the Equine Assisted Therapy Director at a residential treatment center in Layton. 

Eliza recently moved to Summit County (UT) and transitioned to private practice, offering both office-based and equine assisted psychotherapy services. Her equine assisted sessions are facilitated at her private equine property, located only 10 minutes from Park City and 35 minutes from Salt Lake City.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy

Eliza has over two decades of experience in equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP). While completing her graduate training in Vermont, Eliza facilitated EAP groups for boys and girls with emotional and behavioral issues. She is double certified as an EAP facilitator in both ground and mounted work through Greg Kersten’s O.K. Corral Series (Kersten was the founder of this modality of therapy).  She has also received training in Trauma Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (TF-EAP) through Natural Lifemanship.  In her most recent role as EAP Director at a residential treatment center, Eliza used the modality to develop curricula for individual, family, and group equine work; to facilitate individual sessions as both therapist and equine specialist; to direct EAP experiences for psychoeducational family seminars; and to supervise staff trainings.