Psychotherapy Incorporating Horses

Horses are huge, magical creatures.

Horses are herd-dwelling animals that are in tune with the behavior of others in their groups. They understand how to relate with humans, and most have a natural curiosity and affinity for us. They can teach us about attachment, attunement, and safety.

Having lived with and loved horses for over 45 years, I cannot overstate my connection with these beautiful animals. That connection was a natural progression for me to work with horses as partners in healing others.

I began training as a therapeutic riding instructor in 2009 and earned a certification as a therapeutic riding instructor through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH International – https://pathintl.org) in 2015.

As a PATH Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, my certification also allows me to attend to our horse partners’ well-being during the session.

Experience the healing nature of our equine friends.

I offer unmounted psychotherapy incorporating horses to adults and children in partnership with Ride On, Pasadena, A Therapeutic Riding Center in the foothills of the beautiful San Gabriel mountains.

Psychotherapy incorporating horses begins with a phone screening to see if we are a good fit; we will then meet for a 60-minute assessment/treatment planning session to gather background information about the issues you/your child wants to work on and develop a treatment plan. Paperwork and consent forms will be completed before this session and uploaded to my online electronic health record system that is HIPAA compliant.

The second meeting will be with our equine partners, and we will begin the process of connection, healing, and attunement. I use this service mainly to address trauma, but it can be helpful for issues such as social anxiety, depression, neurodiversity, assertiveness, and boundaries.

Are there practical things I should know?

Horses can also teach us important lessons about leadership. Our in-person psychotherapy sessions incorporating horses will happen outdoors. You must wear closed-toed shoes and comfortable clothing plus sun protection.

I do not accept insurance for this service – part of your fee will support Ride On’s programming offering therapeutic riding lessons to members of the Pasadena community, so it’s a win-win.

Begin experiencing the healing power of psychotherapy incorporating horses by contacting me today.