Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)

Horses have been used for therapeutic purposes since the time of the ancient Greeks. The Greek physician Hippocrates, known as the "Father of Medicine," wrote about the therapeutic potential of horseback riding. Equine-assisted psychotherapy incorporates horses into the therapeutic process. People engage in activities such as grooming, feeding, and leading a horse while being supervised by a mental health professional.

I've co-facilitated equine assisted psychotherapy sessions since 2010 as an equine professional and since 2023 as a clinician. I've received training from organizations including PATH International, EAGALA, Natural Lifemanship, and OK Corral. The equine assisted sessions lend an organically somatic and experiential lens to sessions that is immediate and relational. Especially for clients who would rather move and do than sit and talk, it can be a highly effective way to get "unstuck."

I am a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. I offer in-person equine-assisted psychotherapy in Pasadena, CA. I have over 40 years of experience with horses and believe they can teach us a great deal about ourselves. Equines are partners in my treatment and you will be outside and in nature which also adds to your healing.

Equine Assisted Life Coaching holds a variety of opportunities in connecting with your inner child, your inner playfulness and innocence, increasing your own self awareness, and learning to enhance your communication in relationships. Equine is a great therapeutic activity for those who have low self esteem, have relationship issues, have difficulty communicating how they are feeling, have been engaging in substance use, or are interested in connecting to animals and nature as a coping skill.

A horse is a beautiful majestic creature, and when one interacts with you there is a sense of awe. But horses can also be opinionated, stubborn, quirky, reluctant, many of the same things that might challenge you. Horses don't sit there worrying about these things, they just are who they are. And they can help us see ourselves for the rich beings we are too, strengths and flaws alike.

Horses are one of nature's most intuitive & empathetic animals. They can mirror an individual's emotions which makes them a great therapeutic assistance. Equine-Assisted-Psychotherapy (EAP) assists in emotional regulation, increasing cognitive skills, reducing stress & easing symptoms of PTSD, trauma as well as depression. EAP also assists individuals when it comes to destructive behavior, habits and relationship patterns. Come try EAP out with me today!

EAP is an experiential approach to therapy where we include horses to help us learn boundaries, healthier relationship and attachment behaviors, regulation of our emotions and survival responses, and mindfulness practices. I have attended multiple Natural Lifemanship trainings focusing on EAP as an intervention for difficulties with feeling safe and connected in relationship, past trauma processing, and present moment regulation and mindfulness.

I have worked with horses for over 35 years and incorporating them in therapy is my passion. I have been trained in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in multiple modalities including the Human Equine Relational Development (HERD) institute, The Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), and the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH). I teach this subject at the university level and have presented at many conferences over the years.

In partnership with Serenity Oaks Equine Sanctuary, I bring client out to meet their new best fur friend. Through different exercises and skills, clients make incredible gains in finding calm and connection after a history of trauma and anxiety. All sessions are on the ground (no riding, sorry!) to support growth and connection. While I only schedule visits at the farm one day per week, clients beg to come for multiple sessions per week.