The Founding Vision.
Barbara Mulry
Sojourn TRC’s Founder and CEO has a long history working with individuals with special needs, beginning with her older sibling, Joseph.
Joe had a huge impact and was the reason why Barbara, early on at the age of 10, wanted to pursue a career in special education. Barbara’s credentials/licenses include:
Learning Behavior Specialist 1: Pre-Kindergarten through Age 21;
Learning Disabilities: Pre-Kindergarten through Age 21;
Secondary Education Grade 6 through Grade 12;
Reading Specialist: Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Barbara has her B.S.Ed. in Special Education and her M.A. in Reading Specialist Additionally, Barbara has taught in higher education for numerous years at Saint Xavier University School of Education and has travelled around the U.S. conducting staff developments in education for IRI Skylight, Simon and Schuster, and Pearson Education.
Barbara also conducted staff development for the State of Illinois and travelled to many schools within the region to support teachers in their efforts to apply best practices in their classrooms. Barbara is most noted for her interest in research and research design. Much of her coursework focused on conducting and executing research in the classroom regarding best practices in the areas of academic achievement, social/emotional learning, and student motivation.
She also taught methods classes and supervised student teachers who were embarking on careers in education. Without a doubt, Barbara has a love for horses and understands their deep connection with humans. Horses, too, are sentient beings that have the ability to carry riders on their backs and provide exceptional rhythmic and sensory input.
She began her journey into therapeutic riding services with her horses Blackie and Scootch. Sojourn’s horses now number eleven!
Horses are a lifelong learning experience for Barbara, who has never stopped schooling herself and her horses in dressage. Currently, Barbara continues education with Ken Borden, Jr. (breeder, trainer, clinician at Little Bit Farm) and has also schooled with Baron Julius Von Uhl (Von Uhl School of Horsemanship), Brittany Kristoffersen (Kristoffersen Sporthorses) and Mario Contreras (Head Trainer Medieval Times in Schaumburg; MC Training). Barbara schools with horses of all levels, and is currently working with her semi-retired Grand Prix/Airs Above Ground horse, Hook. Additionally, Barbara is a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intern’l). According to Barbara, the trainers who are the best among the best are always the horses!
“The trainers who are the best among the best are always the horses!”
Connect with Barbara.
Send Barbara a message by completing the form. Be sure to include the best time to reach you, and any questions you may have about Sojourn Therapeutic Riding Center’s services.
Email Barbara
(708) 539-3078