Meet Katheryn Kiker | Licensed Professional Counselor Associate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katheryn Kiker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katheryn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have always been interested in business as an opportunity to create a life that is meaningful to me. Before I started my own and while I was getting my bachelors and masters, I managed several small businesses which allowed me to get an inside look without having to get a business degree. I see having my own business as a way I build the bridge between the reality of how the world is and the idealism of the way I want the world to be.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My counseling business is unique in that all of the services I provide are based around the farm where I live. I am a licensed professional counselor associate and I offer animal assisted therapy specifically with cattle, nature therapy on the farm under oak trees, and virtual counseling. Technically I own two overlapping businesses, the private practice (Katheryn Kiker, LPC-A) and my farm business which me and my partner run, Sweet Times on the Farm. Under our farm business, we offer cow cuddling to anyone not just clients, and sell agricultural products, like eggs and seasonal fruits.

Cows are probably the most noteworthy thing about my business, and people ask me why cows all the time. When I moved to the farm with my partner 5 years ago, I had no idea that cows would ever bond to humans or that they would like to be pet. It was a continual practice of being curious about them and them being curious right back where I learned a lot about their behavior, and realized how therapeutic they were to me. I declared four years ago I’d go back to school to get my masters in counseling and eventually work with cattle, and I know I was very determined to do so but now that it’s actually happened it sincerely touches me every day that I get to do it. With cows, their sheer size demands respect but there is also something deeper about such a large animal responding to you so genuinely. I have also found in research evidence of why they are so relaxing to be around- our heart rates try to match those of who we are around, and cows are so much slower. I f you pay attention to your body around them you can kind of recognize yourself slowing down. Also, cows like any animal can greatly increase the feel good hormones in our brains – like oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine. They have such a sweet, gentle power that helps you be present. I responded to it and I think my clients and visitors do as well.

Sometimes it is not easy to work with large animals but all the lessons I have received from the farm, my business, and becoming a counselor make it all worth it. The biggest lesson I have learned is this idea of “making our hearts bigger than the pain,” I say it to myself all the time. That life, no matter if you’re on a farm or in the middle of the city, will eventually be painful in some way and we can spend a lot of time being fearful of when it may come, what it might look like, and not letting ourselves hold onto love, to cherish those around us when we have it for fear it may go away or that we’re not good enough to have it. Making my heart bigger than the pain means that I have the courage to know the world may hurt me, loving animals and people may hurt me, and it may do it time and time again. Instead of breaking my heart and turning away, it breaks it open and I keep showing up, I keep going.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I assume this is about Houston and I don’t make it there very often but my favorite spot there are Westheimer road, specifically thrift shopping at Pavement and surrounding shops. If you’re asking about where I live in Beaumont- first stop would be to take my friends to my farm to do cow cuddling, I’d also show them Terrell Park, and The Art Museum of SETX.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout goes to my very soon to be husband, Chase Kiker, who is my partner in life and business and without whom there would be no Sweet Times on the Farm or cow cuddling. I’d also like to shoutout my supervisor Kimberly Benedict LPC-S who is the best guide a beginning counselor could ask for.

Website: sweettimesonthefarm.com

Instagram: @sweettimesonthefarm @kate_the_cownselor

Facebook: Sweet Times on the Farm, Katheryn Kiker, LPC-A

Image Credits
Emily Wallace Moseley, Angelica Figueroa, Chase Kiker