Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)

With my team of rescue horses I aim to allow clients to engage with and enjoy horses in varying levels, from sitting and watching them from afar to brushing and walking them with consent. The focus is on relationship and trust building.

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 received a graduate certificate in Equine Assisted Mental Health and have worked in the equine assisted therapy field in some capacity for over ten years. I am trained in equine assisted EMDR through equilateral. I am also a PATH intl. certified therapeutic riding instructor.

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.

Porter's House Inc. is excited to be working in collaboration with Shepard Meadows Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Bristol, to offer Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) to our clients! EAP is the combined use of horses, a licensed therapist, and an equine specialist to support clients in making progress towards individual treatment goals. The client's relationship with the horse can be utilized as a tool to mirror real-life experiences and to explore patterns in their own relationships.

One of my main specialties is equine assisted therapy! It is my long time passion and I love partnering with our herd of amazing horses to promote healing of the mind, body, and soul. EAP is so helpful to explore both the relationships we have with others as well as the relationship we have with ourselves.

I am a certified EAP Mental Health Professional with EAGALA

I am certified in and practice Equine-Assisted Therapy in addition to traditional services. This experiential mode of therapy allows clients to explore healing in a unique and relational way with both human and horse facilitators. I have grown up around horses and adding them to my counseling work has integrated well into my professional life.

EAP incorporates the mighty, empathic, and spiritual presence of horses into psychotherapy. Horses outwardly mirror what we feel inside in a way that is nonjudgmental, sensitive, and pure. They bond with us nonverbally in a special relationship that leaves many feeling profoundly seen and understood. I worked with youth survivors at a horse ranch and rescue for over 6 years before completing 3 years of clinical internship at an Equine Assisted Therapy program for youth in crisis.

I am a certified equine assisted therapist. I have been practicing these methods since 2012.