Melissa Francis
LCMHC
LCMHC
Melissa Francis is a clinical mental health counselor in the state of North Carolina, specializing in providing support for grief, anxiety, depression, adjustment related concerns, and trauma. Melissa is committed to helping individuals navigate their emotional wellbeing by offering compassionate support utilizing person-centered approach, and evidence-based strategies. Melissa previously worked at Hospice of Lincoln County as a grief counselor providing support to children through adults in individual and group settings. Melissa is committed to helping individuals navigate the challenges they face today in providing a safe space for emotional healing and inner peace.
Melissa is a mother of two boys. Her youngest son is currently in the AirForce living with his wife in Arizona and her oldest son Jonathan is preparing to be married in December. Melissa enjoys spending time with her two adult sons when she can, 4 dogs, her friends, and traveling.
Melissa is honored to facilitate a 30 and over singles ministry at The Pointe church in Belmont, helping others in this season of their life to find God’s purpose and love for them.
Mindy Millsaps
Program Director | Equine Professional | Certified Equine Assisted Life Coach
Program Director | Equine Professional | Certified Equine Assisted Life Coach
Mindy Millsaps serves as the Program Director at Bit of Hope Ranch and also supports sessions as an Equine Professional. In mental health and coaching sessions, she helps ensure the safety and well-being of both the horse and participants while assisting clients in understanding horse body language and how a horse’s responses may reflect what they are feeling in the moment.
Mindy has been involved with horses for most of her life, beginning English riding lessons at the age of ten. She spent many years riding competitively and later went on to teach riding lessons, building a strong foundation in horsemanship and instruction that she now brings to her work at the ranch.
In addition to her role at the ranch, Mindy is a Certified Equine Assisted Life Coach who is passionate about helping individuals navigate life’s transitions and move toward their personal goals. She especially enjoys supporting women who may be experiencing a loss of confidence, feeling stuck, navigating relationship changes, or searching for renewed purpose and joy.
Mindy’s coaching style is welcoming, nurturing, and peaceful, creating a space where clients feel safe to reflect honestly and grow. She believes horses offer powerful, non-judgmental feedback that helps clients recognize both their strengths and areas for growth while encouraging them to stay present in the moment.
Mindy is currently accepting clients for equine-assisted life coaching and feels deeply honored to walk alongside individuals as they work toward healing, clarity, and meaningful change. Outside of the ranch, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, thrifting, and exploring the outdoors through camping and hiking.
Laura Layton
M.Ed, LPC, LCMHC
M.Ed, LPC, LCMHC
Laura Layton serves as a Licensed Counselor and Christian Life Coach at Bit of Hope Ranch, where she supports clients in finding healing, strengthening relationships, and discovering deeper purpose and meaning in their lives. She believes in a holistic approach to counseling that considers the mind, body, and spirit while helping clients move toward growth and restoration.
Laura was drawn to counseling through a passion for helping people navigate life’s challenges and develop healthier relationships with themselves and others. She was also drawn to Bit of Hope Ranch because of her belief in the healing and teaching power of nature and animals. The peaceful environment of the ranch provides a unique setting where clients can experience growth, connection, and renewal.
Laura’s counseling style is relational and holistic, meeting clients where they are and honoring the courage it takes to seek help. Her work integrates multiple therapeutic approaches including person-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic perspectives, Gestalt therapy, somatic and nervous system work, and experiential methods such as equine-assisted and outdoor therapy.
In addition to traditional counseling, Laura is trained in specialized modalities including Accelerated Resolution Therapy (A.R.T.), Brainspotting, biblical counseling, marriage counseling, and life coaching. She also enjoys offering counseling intensives, workshops, and leading retreats designed to support deeper healing and transformation.
Laura considers it a privilege to walk alongside her clients as they share their stories and work toward healing. Outside of counseling, she enjoys spending time outdoors, cultivating friendships, and finding joy in God’s creation while continuing her own journey of growth and faith.
Jim Snyder
MS, MA, NCC, LCMHC, LCMHCS
MS, MA, NCC, LCMHC, LCMHCS
Jim received his Masters of Arts in Counseling from Colorado Christian University and has relocated from Colorado to North Carolina following God’s call to help. He enjoys working with men, women, and their families who struggle with the complex issues that people face these days. Jim volunteers at the Cleveland County Rescue Mission preaching regularly as an ordained minister.
Jim's fondness for horses run deep into his childhood where he rode daily during the summer months. This led him to seek out his Eagala training to combine his love of horses and love of helping people. By drawing on existential components and coupling them with cognitive behavioral perspectives, Jim is able to discover the deep rooted issues that are hindering growth.
Jim has written a book on overcoming masculine passivity and utilizes the techniques he has documented in helping men becoming more engaged. The book is called “Resurrection of Your Inner Hero: Rendering Passivity Obsolete“.
When Jim is not counseling, he can usually be found fly-fishing on a river or enjoying time with his family and "house ponies" aka Great Danes.
Megan E. Spraw
MA, LCMHCA
MA, LCMHCA
Megan E. Spraw serves as a counselor at Bit of Hope Ranch, where she partners with clients as they pursue healing, growth, and greater wholeness in their lives. She felt led to the counseling field through a desire to walk alongside others and support them as they work toward meaningful healing and personal transformation.
Megan was especially drawn to Bit of Hope Ranch because of its non-traditional outdoor setting and the unique partnership between therapy and the horses and other animals on the property. She believes this environment creates powerful opportunities for connection, reflection, and growth that can be difficult to replicate in traditional counseling settings.
Her counseling style is calm and collaborative. Megan believes the counseling process works best as a team effort between the client, counselor, and the client’s broader support network. She strives to create a space where clients feel supported, understood, and empowered as they work toward their goals.
Megan incorporates several therapeutic approaches into her work including person-centered therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) strategies, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and elements of somatic therapy. She has specialized training in EMDR and TF-CBT, which are commonly used to support individuals processing trauma and difficult life experiences.
Outside of counseling, Megan enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, and exploring new places with her children.
Gabrielle Montez
MA, LCMHC
LCMHC
Gabrielle Montez serves as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor at Bit of Hope Ranch, where she works with clients to support emotional healing, personal growth, and deeper self-understanding. She integrates equine-assisted approaches into her counseling practice, helping clients connect with the unique therapeutic presence of horses.
Gabrielle’s passion for counseling began during her undergraduate studies in Bible and Theology, where she felt called to work with individuals experiencing emotional wounds and life challenges. She believes that while faith renews the spirit, counseling can help individuals work through the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that may block deeper healing.
Her counseling style is collaborative and compassionate, emphasizing connection, empathy, and understanding. Gabrielle blends practical cognitive tools with experiential approaches to help clients better understand their emotions, manage anxiety, improve relationships, and build confidence in their daily lives.
Gabrielle was drawn to Bit of Hope Ranch because of her love for animals and the powerful role they can play in the healing process. Horses bring a grounded and calming presence that encourages clients to become more aware, present, and connected. She often observes how horses naturally respond to human emotions, creating meaningful opportunities for reflection and growth during sessions.
Outside of counseling, Gabrielle enjoys spending time in nature, being around animals, and—like many counselors—drinking plenty of coffee.
Kyle Scott
MA, MS, LPA, HSP-PA
MA, MS, LPA, HSP-PA
Kyle Scott serves as a Licensed Psychological Associate and Health Services Provider at Bit of Hope Ranch, where he works with clients to support mental health, personal growth, and emotional healing through both traditional counseling and equine-assisted therapy approaches.
Kyle’s path into counseling began through his work in juvenile justice and foster care, where he witnessed firsthand the significant need for compassionate mental health support. Those experiences inspired him to pursue psychology and dedicate his career to helping individuals navigate challenges and move toward meaningful change.
Kyle holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from the Michigan School of Psychology and a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology from Walden University. After completing his clinical training, he became a Limited License Psychologist in Michigan before relocating to North Carolina in 2024, where he now practices as a Licensed Psychological Associate and Health Services Provider (HSP-PA).
Kyle takes an integrative and flexible approach to therapy, drawing from cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, existential, interpersonal, and person-centered perspectives. His goal is to tailor the therapeutic process to each client’s unique experiences, needs, and goals.
Kyle was originally drawn to Bit of Hope Ranch as a volunteer, seeking meaningful work that allowed him to spend time outdoors. The peaceful ranch environment reminded him of his upbringing in a rural farming community in northern Michigan. Through his time at the ranch, he completed training in Horse Assisted Learning and Transformation (HALT) to learn how horses can be integrated into therapeutic sessions in meaningful ways.
Kyle often enjoys the “aha” moments in therapy—those times when clients gain new clarity about challenges that once felt overwhelming. Outside of work, he enjoys sports, attending concerts and sporting events, hunting, fishing, hiking, and spending time with his wife.
Sara Wyatt
LCMHCA, NCC
LCMHCA, NCC
Sara Wyatt serves as a counselor at Bit of Hope Ranch, where she provides a supportive space for clients to explore their emotions, build self-awareness, and work toward meaningful personal growth. Her desire to become a counselor was inspired by the positive impact counseling had in her own life, and she is passionate about offering that same safe and encouraging environment to others.
Sara was drawn to Bit of Hope Ranch because of the healing power of nature and the unique opportunity for clients to work alongside horses. She believes the ranch environment allows individuals to slow down, disconnect from daily stress, and experience meaningful moments of reflection and insight.
Her counseling style is calm, client-centered, encouraging, and growth-oriented. Sara enjoys helping clients recognize important moments of progress, whether it is identifying an emotion, setting a boundary, or learning to regulate themselves during challenging situations.
Sara believes horses offer a powerful experiential element to therapy. Because horses are highly sensitive to body language, emotions, and energy, they can reflect what clients may be feeling internally. This unique interaction helps clients build emotional awareness, practice regulation skills, and grow in confidence in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.
Sara provides counseling for a variety of emotional and life challenges. Her educational background is in Christian Counseling, and she integrates faith-based principles when appropriate and aligned with each client’s preferences. She also incorporates creative and developmentally appropriate approaches, including art-based and play-based techniques, to help clients express themselves and engage fully in the therapeutic process.