Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
Helping individuals and families of all ages through a variety of challenges.
Individual Sessions
One hour individual counseling sessions with a credentialed mental health professional.
$160
Couple Sessions
Strengthen your marriage or relationship through equine activities.
$180
Family Sessions
Find healing together and learn new skills.
$180
Groups
You're not alone. Specialty therapy groups designed around a specific mental health topic.
Workshops
One-day corporate retreat-style events, tailored to your group's specific goals.
Intensives
Longer sessions available depending on your goals. Great for those who come long distance.
Why Equine Therapy?
- Trauma-Informed
- Evidence-Based
- Experiential (Hands-on learning)
- Somatic
- Credentialed Mental Health Professionals
- Client-Centered
- Peaceful and safe environment
- Intuitive horses to partner with
Equine assisted therapy is experiential and metaphorical in nature, meaning what clients experience with the horses has meaning for them outside the farm as well. Although a relatively new mode of psychotherapy, studies are proving it to be an effective and efficient alternative or addition to traditional counseling. Many of our clients have tried traditional methods of counseling and found equine assisted therapy to be a better fit for them.
It is highly effective – what you put in, you WILL get out of it! The horses provide unique insights that allow us to grow in self-awareness and practice change during sessions, which often speeds up the therapeutic process. Our clients feel a change in the first few sessions, and many start making changes that have powerful effects on their lives in as few as 4 or 6 sessions. This form of therapy is flexible – it can be a very fast way to resolve specific issues and learn empowering skills for your situation in the short-term and continue to help you find deeper healing in the long-term. We have some clients who “finish” therapy in 12-16 weeks, while others choose to stay longer. Either way, it is our privilege to be part of your journey.
Each of our therapists are trained in trauma-focused equine assisted psychotherapy through the Natural Lifemanship Institute. Each of our sessions are unique. Activities may include feeding, grooming, leading the horse, groundwork exercises, or horseback riding. Session activities are specially designed to fit your goals and will vary; however, all sessions use evidence-based and trauma-informed techniques. Some sessions may be more learning-oriented, and experiential, meaning you will practice skills which translate into other situations you may be facing. Some sessions will be more psychotherapeutic, in which deep healing through corrective experiences may occur. Each session ends with a time of processing and discussing the activities. We encourage you to process what you are learning and provide ideas for applying it in your life outside of the session.
We are each made up of body, mind, spirit, and soul – and each part of us is inseparable. Equine assisted therapy is a powerful model for addressing each part of our being. Working outdoors, in a safe and beautiful environment, moving naturally as you work with the animals… this is a place where you can just “be.”
Horses live “in the moment” and have distinct individual personalities. As herd animals, they are extremely relationship-oriented. Horses intuitively and honestly respond to the emotions of those around them, creating opportunity for self-awareness and practice building relationships. After all, we are hurt through relationships, but we also need relationships to heal. Horses become the safe relationship where we can heal before transferring our learning to life off the ranch.
Bonding with horses facilitates a process in which clients can gain insight into their circumstances and how they currently interact in them through experience, as well as practice change in a forgiving environment. Along the way, clients develop confidence, patience, mutual respect, responsibility, problem-solving abilities, healthy coping techniques, and other life skills organically through interactions with the horses. Additionally, building safe relationships with horses provides practice with many important life skills that improve one’s mental health. We learn to set clear boundaries, develop appropriate expectations of ourself and others, listen to our intuition when discerning a situation, empathize with another, as well as validate and respectfully express our own thoughts, feelings, and needs.
Individual sessions are available for clients age 5+. Sessions are also available for families and couples – we encourage families to heal together so that each person learns new skill for facing challenges together.
Typically, sessions are one hour long, but we can also do 90-minute, 2 hour, or longer intensive sessions as needed. Talk with us about your goals and we can design a program to meet your needs.
Insurance Information
While we are not in network with any insurance companies, we do work with Mentaya, a platform that helps clients get money back on out-of-network therapy sessions. If you have out-of-network benefits, Mentaya will file claims and handle the insurance paperwork to make sure you get reimbursed. They charge a 5% fee per claim and have helped people get thousands of dollars back per year. Use the Benefits Checker tool to see if you qualify for reimbursement for our services. You can also sign up by clicking HERE.
Note: Mentaya’s goal is to save you time and money. It’s completely optional, and we do not benefit in any way from your participation.
Ready to start your life changing journey?
Wherever you are at on your journey, we are here for you. Our human and equine team will walk alongside you so you can find hope, healing, and wholeness in your life. You are worth it. Don't hesitate, reach out to us today.