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Black Elk
Black Elk

Top therapists from the CatholicPsych Institute at Black Elk, a week-long retreat amid Wyoming’s rugged splendor.

August 16-23, 2026. Fifteen spots only.

For Catholics ready to unpack wounds, trauma, grief, anxiety through faith, therapy, and horses at Hawkeye Ranch. Elevate your Spirit, heal your mind, stretch your body.

Black Elk Is….

  • Rooted in the integration of deep prayer, equine-assisted therapy, and intimate small-group reflection

  • Guided by the equine-human relationship as a pathway to greater self-awareness, vulnerability, and interior freedom

  • Oriented toward deeper understanding of relationships with others and with God

  • Supported through Spiritual Direction and prayerful discernment of one’s next faithful step

  • Grounded in the silence and beauty of God’s creation, alongside His majestic creatures

  • An invitation to healing, renewal, flourishing, and deeper union with God

Who We Are

DR. GREG BOTTARO

Dr. Greg Bottaro is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of the CatholicPsych Institute, where he developed an integrated approach to mental health grounded in Catholic anthropology. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences (now Divine Mercy University) and trained at several major clinical institutions, including Harvard Medical School affiliates. His work focuses on uniting sound clinical psychology with a Catholic understanding of the human person, emphasizing virtue, meaning, and relational healing. He is also a speaker, author, and mentor who trains clinicians and formators in applying faith-integrated psychological care.

DR. BRYAN VIOLETTE

Dr. Bryan Violette, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in mental health assessment and therapy grounded in Catholic principles. He earned his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) from the Institute for the Psychological Sciences at Divine Mercy University. Dr. Violette serves as Chief of Staff at the CatholicPsych Institute, where he previously held roles as Clinical Director and Director of Operations, overseeing patient care, therapist training, and integrated mental health services. He is committed to helping individuals achieve emotional healing and personal growth through faith-aligned psychological approaches. He also hosts The Catholic Sinner Show podcast, exploring diverse beliefs and human connections.

DR. GERARD MCNICHOLAS

Director at the CatholicPsych Institute, Dr. Gerard teaches and supervises students in the Catholic Psych Model of Applied Personalism (CPMAP) program. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Divine Mercy University and his undergraduate degree in Mental Health and Human Services from Franciscan University of Steubenville, with a minor in philosophy. His clinical experience includes community mental health and inpatient psychiatric settings. His work integrates philosophical psychology with contemporary clinical practice, drawing especially on Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, narrative psychology, and Catholic Christian anthropology to emphasize meaning, relationship, and accompaniment in healing.

MISTY SHERBONDY

Misty Sherbondy, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and trauma specialist in Colorado with expertise in equine-assisted therapy. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from Newman University and certifications in integrative mental health, yoga, meditation, and animal-assisted therapy. Misty uses trauma-informed approaches—including somatic work, mindfulness, narrative therapy, and equine-assisted therapy—to support healing from PTSD, anxiety, depression, and trauma. She provides private equine-assisted sessions at Zuma’s Rescue Ranch and therapy at Westside Behavioral Care, emphasizing experiential, faith-informed healing with rescued horses.

FR. LOUIS MEROSNE

Fr. Louis Wesly Merosne is a Catholic priest from Haiti, deeply devoted to Jesus Christ and the Gospel. He studied at Franciscan University of Steubenville, earning degrees in French, Theology, and Christian Ministry, and was ordained in 2011. He serves as pastor of the Cathedral of Sainte Anne in the Diocese of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne, holding numerous diocesan leadership roles and mentoring through the CatholicPsych Institute. Fr. Merosne is also founder of the nonprofit Mission to the Beloved, preaches widely at conferences and missions, and is dedicated to forming souls and serving the Church with pastoral care and evangelization.

FR. SAM KACHUBA

Fr. Sam Kachuba is a priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT, and has served as pastor of St. Pius X Parish since 2015. He completed his seminary formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, earning degrees in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. Since his ordination in 2008, he has served in parish ministry, as director of vocations, chaplain, and member of the diocesan Presbyteral Council, and he is certified in the CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism to mentor priests. Fr. Sam is also co-host of The Tangent podcast, chaplain for Veritas Catholic Network, and enjoys fly-fishing, music, and learning the Irish bouzouki.

LAUREN GENTILE

As a Certified Mentor through the CatholicPsych Institute, Lauren Gentile has accompanied others in marriage, friendship, therapy, and spiritual direction, witnessing that God is never absent, meeting people in both moments of peace and their most difficult shadows. She offers faith-integrated guidance rooted in authentic Catholic anthropology and modern psychology, helping clients uncover healing, clarity, and deeper union with God. She guides individuals toward confronting the places they fear most, fostering personal growth and spiritual transformation. She is a wife, mother of seven, and our host for this retreat.

This retreat grew out of years spent observing how the wilderness, daily Catholic prayer, and work with horses consistently draw people into deeper reflection and growth. Again and again, Hawkeye Ranch became a place where individuals slowed down, engaged their faith more intentionally, and encountered insights that stayed with them long after they left. The natural rhythm of life at the ranch that was shaped by prayer, silence, and equine work revealed a setting uniquely suited for deep transformations. Black Elk was created to respond to that reality by offering a retreat formed by experience, faith, and its careful integration.

Morning Prayer (led by a Priest)

Breakfast

Psychoeducation

A Typical Day

Equine Assisted Therapy

Group Therapy

Lunch

Individual Counseling, Spiritual Direction or Confessions

Daily Mass and Adoration

Dinner

Quiet time/ alone time

Why Equine Therapy?
“Mounting scientific evidence suggests that equine therapy has been making a profound difference by helping thousands of men, women and children achieve life-altering emotional breakthroughs”
— Time Hayes| https://equusmagazine.com
“Horses create a safe, non-judgmental space. Their presence and touch can soothe clients and encourage them to confront difficult emotions, often more effectively than human interaction alone.”
“Psychology studies the whole person… Only when we understand the human person as God made him can we truly understand what an unhealthy person looks like, and thus how to move people closer to health.”
— Dr. Greg Bottaro

For more Research contact us at Lauren.gentile@catholicpsych.com

Why Black Elk

Black Elk (c. 1863–1950) was a Lakota holy man, healer, and later Catholic catechist whose life was dedicated to spiritual vision and the healing of his people. Born into a family of medicine men, he experienced a profound childhood vision that gave him a lifelong sense of responsibility for the spiritual and communal well-being of others. He became known for his role in prayer, healing rites, and spiritual leadership during a time of great suffering and cultural upheaval among the Lakota.

In 1904, Black Elk was baptized into the Catholic Church and took the name Nicholas William. His conversion was sincere and active: he served for many years as a catechist and lay missionary, led prayer services, taught the rosary, shared Scripture, and helped bring many others into the faith. He remained devoted to both Christ and the spiritual dignity of his people, seeking harmony between Catholic belief, creation, and traditional reverence for the natural world.

Black Elk stands as an important representative figure for a Catholic equine retreat because he embodies integrated healing — spiritual, communal, and creation-centered. His life reflects deep prayer, reverence for God’s presence in nature, and a vocation of restoration and guidance, making him a powerful symbol of faith-based healing encounters rooted in both tradition and lived experience.


Accommodations

Single Bedroom

Single or Shared Bathroom

Wellness through Integrating the Mind and Body

 

With Transportation from Cody Regional Airport

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Cody, Wyoming

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