About Heather
Heather has practiced as an occupational therapist (OT) for the past twenty-five years, working in a variety of mental health and pediatric settings. She has incorporated animals into her practice for most of her career, and currently serves as an adjunct instructor at the University of Denver, where she teaches courses for a post-graduate certificate program within the Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC).
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Heather and her family moved to Shenandoah County in 2012, where they fell in love with the vibe of the local community, with its laid-back pace, unsurpassed natural beauty, and opportunities for adventure. She lives with her husband, her nine-year old son Lucas, and a menagerie of dogs, cats, and of course horses. When Heather's not spending time at the farm, she can be found kayaking on the river or cheering on her son at Woodstock-Edinburg Little League baseball games.
Licensure and Certifications
-Licensed Occupational Therapist, Virginia State Medicine Board
-Registered Occupational Therapist, National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
-Certified Equine-Facilitated Learning (EFL) Facilitator, Human-Equine Relational Development (HERD) Institute
-Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional Association for Therapeutic International (PATH Int’l)
Education
Doctor of Science, Towson University, Occupational Science (May 2022)
Dissertation: Occupations and the More-Than-Human World: An Exploration of Multi-Species Occupations Involving Horses and Humans
Master of Science, James Madison University, Psychological Sciences (May 2014)
Dual concentrations in Clinical Research and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Thesis: The Effect of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Volition and Social Participation of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Bachelor of Science, Elizabethtown College, Occupational Therapy (May 1999)
Publications
Pugh, H.K. & Heatwole Shank, K. (2023). Multi-species occupation involving equines: An action-oriented inquiry to inform occupational therapy practitioners. OTJR: OccupationalTherapy Journal of Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/15394492231203724
Pugh, H.K. & Heatwole Shank, K. (2023). Theoretical and methodological alignment through multi-modal research designs: Advancing the transactional perspective of occupation. Journal of Occupational Science. https://doi.org/1080/14427591.2023.2213697
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Pugh, H. (2022). Employing an action-orientation to expand our understanding of equine-human occupations. Abstract available in: Inaugural World Occupational Science Conference. Occupation and Society: Global to Local Perspectives for the Future, Journal of Occupational Science, 29: sup1, S1S116,
DOI: 10.1080/14427591.2022.2111001
Pugh, H.K. (2016, October). Pairing Strengths for success: Collaborating with external researchers. Professional association for therapeutic horsemanship international (PATH Int’l) Strides.
Conference Presentations
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Pugh, H.K. (2022, October). The Form and Function of Multi-Species Occupations Involving Equines. Session presented at the Society for the Study of Occupation’s USA Conference, San Diego, CA.
Pugh, H.K. (2022, August). Employing an Action-Orientation to Expand our Understanding of Equine-Human Occupations. Session presented at the Inaugural World Occupational Science Conference, Vancouver, BC.
Pugh, H.K. (2022, July). Equine-Human Interactions: A Multi-Modal Qualitative Inquiry. Session presented at the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) International Conference, Virtual Proceedings.
Pugh, H.K. (2021, September). Decentralizing the individual experience: A comparative analysis of visual methods aligned with the transactional perspective. Session presented at the Society for the Study of Occupation’s USA Conference, Virtual Proceedings.
Pugh, H.K. (2021, September). Occupations and the more-than-human world: An exploration of multi-species occupations involving horses and humans. Session presented at Royal Geographic Society – Annual International Conference, Virtual Proceedings.
Pugh, H.K. (2019, November). Exploring inter-species relationships with equines: Occupational science’s contributions to the study of human-animal relationships. Session presented at the Society for the Study of Occupation’s USA Conference, Scottsdale, AZ.
Pugh, H.K. (2016, November). Bridging the gap between research and therapeutic horsemanship: Strategies for successful collaborations with external researchers. Session presented at PATH Int’l International Conference, Williamsburg, VA.
Pugh, H.K. (2016, July). Introduction to animal assisted therapy: A guide for parents and service providers. Session presented at Region 10 Autism Conference featuring Dr. Temple Grandin, Charlottesville, VA.