About the People and Horses at
HOPE Ranch
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Media
Rochester Women's magazine article.
Staff
Kit Muellner
Kit, the founder of HOPE Ranch, is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and an EAGALA Certified Therapist and Horse Specialist. Kit received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and her MSSW in Clinical Work with children, youth, and families from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Before starting HOPE Ranch, Kit gained experience working with children, adults and families at a variety of agencies and facilities including Olmsted County, Omnia Family Services, Gerard Treatment Facilities, Mendota Mental Health Institute, and Mayo Clinic. Kit has been riding horses since she was 4 years old. Training her horses and trail riding are two of her greatest passions.
HOPE Ranch is a dream come true for Kit whose favorite things in life are kids, families, and critters. She started this private practice in 2000 allowing her the opportunity to provide a variety of psychotherapy services including individual family and couples therapies utilizing traditional in-office, play therapy, and animal assisted therapy. She offers equine assisted individual, family, and group psychotherapy. HOPE Ranch offers team development and staff enrichment opportunities utilizing equine assisted learning, a very powerful, horse facilitated approach.
Along with her therapy dog Honey, her three cats and five horses, Kit’s goal is to make people feel at home on the Ranch and to create space for people to experience the wonderful growth and healing that working with animals offers.
Kelly Neu
Kelly, a former intern of HOPE Ranch, is presently working as the HOPE Ranch secretary and an Equine Specialist. She graduated from Crossroads College in May 2011 with a Bachelors of Science in Biblical Theology and Counseling Psychology.
Kelly grew up around horses, always having a desire to share her passion for these wonderful creatures with others. After completing high school, she worked at summer camps for a few years leading trail rides and giving riding lessons. As much as she loved teaching and working in the camp setting, her passion for people led her to pursue working in the mental health field, so she could combine two of her biggest passions. At HOPE Ranch she is able to do just that.
Ray Anschel 
Ray has been a teacher of writing and literature for 40 years. He taught at Normandale Community College, the University of Minnesota, and the College of St. Catherine. He served as chair of the English Department at Normandale for 8 years, president of Normandale’s faculty association, regional coordinator of Writing Across the Curriculum for Minnesota Community College System, Director of Carleton College’s Learning Center, and as a faculty associate for the Mid-Continent Writing and Thinking Institute at Minot State University.
Ray has conducted writing and literature workshops for students and teachers in colleges throughout the country, in the K-12 system, and for community groups. In addition, he has a long history of facilitating leadership and problem solving workshops in higher education and for business and health professionals.
Ray holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Long Island University, a Master’s Degree from the University of Minnesota, is the recipient of Normandale’s Teacher of the Year Award and the University of Texas’s National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Award for Excellence (NISOD). He also holds Parts I and II Certifications from the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA).
Amy Tremain 
Amy Tremain is a Licensed Psychologist and a Registered Nurse, with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. Throughout her career she has worked with adults, children and families in the areas of:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Behavioral problems
- Parenting issues
- Chemical dependency
- Chronic mental illness
