Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)

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.

Our in-person therapists specialize in Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

I earned a Certificate of Completion for Level 1 Embodied Equine Psychotherapy™ in 2021. This approach encourages growth and healing through an embodied, experiential, and relational approach with the equines as co-therapists. It is a foundation for my continued learning within equine facilitated psychotherapy.

I provide a somatic based approach to EAP. Horses can be powerful healing facilitators for clients. They are able to reflect back emotions to the people engaged with them whether the people are aware of their own emotions or not. This provides a great way to be able to externalize and work through various struggles in life. Horses are great with helping set boundaries, building self-awareness, developing healthy communication styles, and so much more.

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.

I am a certified EAGALA mental health specialist and am also trained in Natural Lifemanship.

If traditional talk therapy has not been beneficial for you in the past, it doesn't mean that therapy may not be a helpful option for you. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) provides an alternative approach that can facilitate healing in the presence of horses, tapping into the innate human-animal bond. The presence of horses can create a unique and therapeutic environment where individuals can explore and process emotions, experiences, and challenges.

Utilizing horses in the therapy session allows for a unique way to address internal feelings and communication. The horse(s) joins the session in a way that fits the specific needs of each client, whether it is building self-esteem, working through anger issues or developing healthier communication skills.