Out Side In Therapists
Jennifer McVoy, LMSW
Executive Director
Jennifer McVoy brings an uncommon combination of clinical, equine, and organizational experience to Out Side In. She is a Licensed Master’s Level Social Worker with more than 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families facing complex emotional and behavioral challenges. Her areas of expertise include trauma, attachment disorders, autism spectrum disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, and mood disorders. She has also had significant success engaging clients who have struggled to connect with traditional treatment approaches.
In addition to her clinical expertise, Jennifer is a nationally recognized horsewoman with more than 45 years of experience in many areas of the horse industry. She has earned numerous regional and national championship titles and brings an extensive understanding of horse behavior, training, communication, and the horse-human relationship to her clinical work. This depth of experience allows her to incorporate horses into psychotherapy in an intentional and meaningful way while maintaining the clinical goals and standards of mental health treatment.
Jennifer also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has many years of experience in business management and organizational leadership. Her combined background allows her to oversee Out Side In’s clinical services, equine operations, and organizational development while ensuring that the program operates effectively and provides high-quality services to individuals and families in need.
Alexa Mcvoy, LMSW
Director of Thoroughbred Aftercare
Therapist
Alexa has been part of Out Side In since its founding in 2011. Over the years, she has served in many roles, including volunteering, retraining off-track Thoroughbreds, and leading summer youth programs for children facing emotional and behavioral challenges. Today, she serves as both a therapist and the Director of Thoroughbred Aftercare and continues to be an integral part of the organization’s growth and success.
Alexa earned her Master of Social Work degree from Grand Valley State University and holds a School Social Work Certification. Her professional experience includes working with Bethany Christian Services’ transitional foster care program and within the school system. These roles gave her a broad understanding of the challenges children and families may face at home, in school, and within the community, as well as experience helping families understand and navigate the systems involved in their care.
A lifelong and highly accomplished equestrian, Alexa has earned several national championship titles. She has extensive experience with both hunter/jumpers and western pleasure horses, as well as many years of hands-on involvement in retraining and transitioning off-track Thoroughbreds into new careers. Her combined clinical and equine experience allows her to understand both the therapeutic process and the individual horses who participate in it. In her role as Director of Thoroughbred Aftercare, she also oversees the care, retraining, and placement of the organization’s Thoroughbreds.
Alexa loves to travel and has visited many countries. She is fluent in Spanish and has spent time in Guatemala teaching English and as an au pair in Spain. She is especially passionate about working with children and teens, and they tend to connect with her just as naturally as she connects with them.
Jereme Vanden Heuvel, LMSW
Therapist
Jereme is a licensed clinical social worker with extensive experience supporting children, teens, and adults in a variety of therapeutic settings. He works with clients facing anxiety, depression, neurodevelopmental disorders, trauma, and other emotional and behavioral challenges. His approach focuses on building strong therapeutic relationships and helping clients better understand their experiences, recognize barriers, and find meaningful ways to move forward.
In addition to his clinical work, Jereme has served for more than 25 years as a paid on-call firefighter and EMT. This experience has given him a firsthand understanding of trauma, crisis, grief, and the lasting impact that difficult experiences can have on individuals and families. His personal experience parenting children with special needs, including a son with an intellectual disability, further informs the empathy, patience, and practical understanding he brings to his work.
Equestrian history runs through Jereme's family. His grandfather was a jockey who raced Thoroughbreds, and his great-great-grandfather served in the 3rd Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. Jereme’s own interest in incorporating horses into therapy began when his family leased an off-track Thoroughbred for his daughter. Watching that relationship develop allowed him to see firsthand the positive impact that trust, connection, and working with a horse can have.
At Out Side In, Jereme brings together his clinical experience, understanding of trauma, and growing connection with horses to help clients engage in the therapeutic process in ways that extend beyond traditional talk therapy.
Carly Farmer, LMSW
Therapist
Carly entered the horse world as a child and began competing in hunter/jumper shows throughout West Michigan. She quickly developed a passion for building relationships with horses others considered “difficult” or frequently overlooked, even when doing so meant falling off more times than she could count. Those experiences taught her the importance of patience, persistence, trust, and looking beyond behavior to understand what may be happening underneath. These same principles influence her clinical practice as she helps clients “get back in the saddle,” build confidence, and navigate life’s challenges.
Carly holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and a Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University. Her background in Applied Behavior Analysis and residential crisis case management has given her experience supporting individuals with a wide range of communication, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs. This interdisciplinary background helps Carly tailor her approach to each client’s individual strengths, needs, and way of connecting.
At Out Side In, Carly brings together her lifelong connection with horses and her passion for mental health. She values the unique opportunities horses provide for clients to develop trust, strengthen communication, build self-awareness, and experience growth beyond what may be possible through conversation alone. For Carly, the opportunity to combine her passions for horses and helping others is a dream come true.
Bethany Slane, LMSW
Therapist
Bethany earned her Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University in 2011 and began working as a therapist at Out Side In shortly afterward. She later stepped away from her clinical role to serve in the Peace Corps and start a family. During that time, Bethany continued developing her clinical skills through work in several therapeutic settings, including healthcare and private practice. She also remained connected to Out Side In by serving remotely on its Board of Directors. We are thrilled to welcome her back in a clinical role.
Bethany has extensive training in mindfulness-based approaches, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Her experience across a variety of clinical settings allows her to adapt her approach to the individual needs of each client and support them in developing greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and meaningful change.
Having grown up on a farm, Bethany developed a lifelong connection with horses and a deep appreciation for the natural world. She brings together her clinical experience, love of horses, and longstanding commitment to the clients and mission of Out Side In.
Camelia Lonsway, LMSW
Therapist
Camelia was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii. She moved to Michigan to attend Hope College, where she earned her Bachelor of Social Work. After completing her undergraduate degree, Camelia began working with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. She later earned her Master of Social Work from Western Michigan University, specializing in trauma and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
Camelia is passionate about supporting people as they navigate life’s challenges and transitions, especially those who are healing from trauma. She strives to create a safe and compassionate environment where clients feel supported as they process their experiences, recognize their strengths, and move forward with greater confidence.
Horses were an important part of Camelia’s childhood growing up in Hawaii where she developed a deep and lasting appreciation for them. Throughout her life, she has continued to enjoy riding, caring for horses, and building relationships with them. These experiences gave her an understanding of the trust, communication, and connection that can develop between horses and people.
At Out Side In, Camelia is excited to bring together her lifelong connection with horses and her passion for helping people. She values the unique ways horses can support trust, self-awareness, emotional growth, and healing within the therapeutic process.
Camille Ford, LMSW
Therapist
Camille relocated from Ohio to Michigan to join Out Side In after earning her Master of Social Work from Ohio University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Otterbein University.
Camille values the important connection between physical and mental health and often incorporates mind-body awareness into her therapeutic work to support clients’ overall well-being. Her warm, outgoing, and open-minded personality helps her build genuine relationships and create a safe, supportive environment where clients feel understood, accepted, and comfortable expressing themselves.
Camille brings experience from a variety of clinical settings, including residential treatment, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), inpatient behavioral health, and an alternative school serving children on the autism spectrum. Through this work, she developed a strong passion for helping people strengthen emotional regulation skills, build resilience, and develop greater confidence. She especially enjoys working with children, young adults, and women from a wide range of backgrounds and with diverse needs.
Camille has had a lifelong love of horses. While living in Ohio, she volunteered with a program offering equine-assisted services and experienced firsthand the meaningful ways horses can support connection, emotional growth, and healing. That experience confirmed her desire to incorporate horses into her work as a therapist and ultimately led her to pursue a position at Out Side In. The opportunity to bring together her passion for mental health and her love of horses is a lifelong dream that she is grateful to be living.
In her free time, Camille enjoys exploring the West Michigan shoreline, working out, attending concerts, and spending time with her dog.
Sydney Anhalt, LPC
Therapist
Sydney earned her master’s degree in Counseling from Spring Arbor University. Before joining Out Side In, she worked as a therapist at HealthWest, Muskegon County’s community mental health agency. Through this work, Sydney gained valuable experience supporting children, young adults, and families with complex needs. She also developed a strong understanding of community mental health systems and the resources available to help individuals and families navigate challenges beyond the therapy setting.
Sydney believes that meaningful therapy can happen through many forms of connection and expression. She incorporates play, movement, and experiential approaches to help clients feel comfortable, develop trust, strengthen emotional regulation, and become more open to growth and change. Her warm and adaptable approach allows her to meet clients where they are and find ways of engaging that fit their individual needs.
Sydney began riding horses as a child and developed an early appreciation for the trust, patience, and communication involved in building relationships with them. Her background includes experience with natural horsemanship as well as volunteering with programs offering equine-assisted services. These experiences inspired her interest in incorporating horses into her work as a mental health professional.
At Out Side In, Sydney combines her clinical experience with her lifelong connection to horses. She values the opportunities horses and the natural environment provide for clients to build relationships, increase self-awareness, practice emotional regulation, and engage more fully in the therapeutic process. Each client’s individual needs and treatment goals guide her work.
Rich Holshoe, LLMSW
Therapist
Rich was born and raised in the Grand Rapids area. He earned his Bachelor of Social Work degree from Grand Valley State University and spent approximately 15 years working in community mental health. During that time, he developed extensive experience supporting individuals and families with a wide range of needs and helping people navigate difficult circumstances and life transitions. He later earned his Master of Social Work degree from Western Michigan University, specializing in Holism and Contemplative Health. This training deepened his interest in approaches that recognize the connection between emotional well-being, the body, relationships, and a person’s environment.
Rich’s connection to horses developed through his daughters and their involvement with the School Equestrian Team. Over the years, his time supporting them at home and during competitions allowed him to develop meaningful hands-on experience with horses and a greater understanding of their behavior, sensitivity, and ability to form connections with people. Now a horse owner himself, Rich continues to deepen that experience and appreciates the patience, awareness, trust, and communication involved in building a relationship with a horse.
Through these experiences, Rich discovered a desire to bring together his professional background in mental health with his connection to horses, nature, and the outdoors. At Out Side In, he incorporates these elements into the therapeutic process to help clients explore emotions, relationships, trust, self-awareness, and personal growth in ways that extend beyond traditional talk therapy.
Julia Aude, LLMSW
Therapist
(616) 844-0906