Equine-Assisted Trauma Therapy

How We Help You Heal

If you’ve been living with PTSD, you know how exhausting it is to feel constantly on edge, to avoid places and people that trigger memories, or to feel numb and disconnected from your own life.

Here’s what you need to know: Trauma isn’t just a memory in your mind—it lives in your body in your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Your brain has been rewired to “high alert,” constantly scanning for danger even when you’re safe. Rational thinking alone can’t solve this because trauma gets locked into a deeper part of your brain.

That’s why our trauma therapy approach focuses on helping your body feel safe first, before we ask you to process difficult memories.

Our Evidence-Based Three-Phase Approach

Our therapy follows Herman’s (1992) Tri-Phasic Model, approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the UK Psychological Trauma Society. Here’s what that means for you:

Phase 1: Safety and Stabilization – “I Need to Feel Safe First”

Your goal: Learn to feel safe in your own body again

Before we can process trauma, your nervous system needs to know you’re safe. We do this through:

Somatic Sacred Place Imagery – Creating a mental safe space you can access anytime

Body Scans – Learning to reconnect with your body without fear

Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM) – Developed by Lisa Schwarz with help from Frank Corrigan, MD, this neurobiology-based approach helps you build internal resources for safety and regulation

Time with our horses (optional) – Horses naturally exist in a calm, present state. Through emotional resonance with horses and practicing breathing techniques together, your nervous system can align with their peaceful energy, helping you feel grounded and heard

Self-regulation tools – Practical techniques you can use anywhere to calm your nervous system

You’ll leave each session with tools you can use at home when anxiety or panic arises. The goal is for you to feel in control of your body again.

Phase 2: Processing – “I’m Ready to Face What Happened”

Your goal: Transform how trauma affects you

Once you feel safe and are fully embodied (meaning you are able to feel your body sensations, we can carefully process your traumatic memories. Depending on origin of the Trauma (meaning is it one event we call this tTrauma or PTSD or has this been going on since childhood Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) I can help you with Trauma Focused EMDR, Brainspotting or CRM (Comprehensive Resource Model)

Challenge and transform negative beliefs created by trauma
Help you see the event from a new perspective
Process memories without being overwhelmed by them
Build new, healthier belief systems or thought patterns

This isn’t about “getting over it” or forgetting what happened. It’s about changing your relationship with the memory so it no longer controls your life.

Phase 3: Post-Trauma Growth – “I’m Ready to Move Forward”

Your goal: Build a meaningful life beyond survival

Healing from trauma isn’t just about reducing symptoms—it’s about rediscovering who you are and what you want from life. In this phase, we:

Create a personalized Resilience Plan for ongoing coping
Identify your values and goals for the future
Build confidence in your ability to handle challenges
Help you reconnect with relationships, activities, and dreams

This is about more than returning to “normal”—it’s about creating a life you’re excited about

Why Your Body Needs to Feel Safe First

Trauma isn’t stored as a regular memory. It gets locked into a primal part of your brain, causing you to constantly react as if you’re still in danger—even years later.

You can’t think your way out of trauma. Telling yourself “I’m safe now” doesn’t work when your body is screaming “DANGER!”

That’s why we start with your body. Once your nervous system learns it can relax, your brain can begin to process what happened without shutting down or going into panic mode.

The Role of Horses in Your Healing

There’s something profound that happens when you connect with horses. As prey animals with highly attuned nervous systems, horses exist in a state of calm awareness—fully present in each moment, deeply connected to their environment and the natural rhythms around them.

This connection extends beyond the individual horse to something greater: a sense of being part of the natural world, the universe itself. When you’re with a horse, you’re invited into this space of presence and attunement.

Emotional Resonance with Horses

Horses have an extraordinary ability to mirror and respond to your emotional state. They sense what you’re feeling—often before you fully recognize it yourself—and respond with honesty and without judgment. This emotional resonance creates a unique therapeutic environment where:

You can’t hide behind words or masks—horses respond to your authentic emotional state
You receive immediate, genuine feedback about your nervous system
You practice regulating your emotions in real-time through connection with another being
You experience what it feels like to be truly seen and accepted

Breathing Techniques and Co-Regulation

One of the most powerful aspects of working with horses is learning to match their breathing rhythm. When you stand quietly beside a horse, focusing on your breath and theirs, something remarkable happens:

Your nervous system begins to synchronize with the horse’s calm state (this is called co-regulation)
You learn breathing techniques that you can use anywhere—in the moment with the horse, and later in your daily life
Your body experiences what safety and presence feel like, creating a template you can return to
You develop practical tools for self-regulation that extend far beyond our sessions

Connection to Nature and Something Greater

Working with horses often opens people to a deeper connection—not just with the animal, but with nature, the present moment, and a sense of being part of something larger than themselves. This isn’t religious or spiritual in any prescribed way; it’s about experiencing yourself as connected to the natural world and the universe around you.

For many clients recovering from trauma, this reconnection is profound. Trauma can leave you feeling isolated, disconnected, and alone. Horses help you remember that you’re part of an interconnected whole—grounded on the earth, breathing the same air, sharing the same moment.

What This Looks Like in Practice

This isn’t horse riding—it’s about connection, presence, and experiencing safety in your body. You might:

Stand quietly with a horse, practicing breathing techniques together
Groom or care for a horse, focusing on the present moment
Receiving love and attunment which is difficult for some people as they might have never experienced this depth of receiving and resourcing
Simply be in the horse’s presence, allowing their calm energy to help regulate yours

Some clients choose to incorporate horses throughout their therapy, while others prefer traditional sessions with the option to work with horses at key moments. Both approaches are effective—what matters is what feels right for you.

What to Expect

Initial Assessment: We start with a brief written assessment to understand your symptoms and establish a baseline. This helps me tailor therapy to your specific needs.

Your Pace: We move at a speed that feels safe for you. You’re always in control of what we discuss and when.

Between Sessions: You’ll receive practical tools and exercises to use at home, helping you build resilience day by day.

Regular Check-ins: We’ll track your progress together so you can see how far you’ve come.

Is This Approach Right for You?

This therapy is designed for anyone struggling with PTSD, whether your trauma happened recently or decades ago. You might benefit if:

You feel constantly on edge or anxious
You avoid places, people, or activities because they trigger memories
You have nightmares or intrusive thoughts about the trauma
You feel emotionally numb or disconnected
Traditional talk therapy hasn’t been enough

You don’t need to have severe PTSD to benefit—if trauma is affecting your quality of life, you deserve support.

Why This Approach Works: Understanding Trauma in Your Body

As Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s leading trauma experts, explains: “Trauma is not a memory about the past—it lives within you and your body.”

You can understand rationally that you’re safe now, but your body still reacts as if the threat is present. This is because trauma rewires your brain to high alert, storing the experience in your nervous system rather than filing it away as a regular memory.

That’s why we focus on helping your body feel safe first. Only then can you process the experience without being overwhelmed by it.

Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?

Recovery from PTSD is possible. With the right support, you can:

Feel safe in your own body
Process traumatic memories without being overwhelmed
Build resilience and confidence
Reclaim your life

Our approach is based on Herman’s (1992) Tri-Phasic Model as a Standard of Care for Clinicians and has been approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the UK Psychological Trauma Society.