Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy in Durango, Colorado

Relational healing through the presence of horses

Are You Searching for a Different Kind of Therapy Experience?

  • Do you feel disconnected from yourself, others, or your sense of purpose?

  • Are you seeking a therapeutic process that goes beyond talk?

  • Do you long to feel safe, seen, and connected in a deeper way?

Horses offer us a unique and powerful opportunity to experience healing in relationship. As sensitive, honest, and nonjudgmental beings, they reflect our inner emotional state and invite us into the present moment. When we slow down and engage with horses through relationship—not riding—we open the door to profound personal insight and transformation.

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an experiential, relational, and body-centered approach that supports healing through connection—with horses, with others, and with yourself.

What Is Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)?

EAP is a form of experiential therapy that integrates the presence and feedback of horses into the therapeutic process. It is grounded in the belief that healing happens not just through words, but through experience, presence, and relationship.

Sessions typically take place on the ground—through observation, interaction, and guided relational work with horses. These interactions offer real-time opportunities to explore emotional patterns, boundaries, nervous system regulation, and relational dynamics in a safe and supported setting.

Relational Horsemanship & The Therapeutic Relationship

My approach to equine therapy is rooted in the principles of relational horsemanship—a way of being with horses that emphasizes respect, curiosity, and mutual connection. Rather than controlling or fixing, we practice listening, observing, and responding to what the horse is offering. This mirrors the kind of relationship we cultivate in therapy: one based in attunement, trust, and co-regulation.

Through this lens, horses are not tools or metaphors—they are partners, teachers, and co-regulators. They respond to our energy, our presence, and our nervous systems, offering honest and immediate feedback that helps us become more aware, grounded, and authentic.

My Approach to Equine Therapy

My work integrates:

  • Gestalt Therapy – focusing on the here-and-now experience to bring awareness and integration

  • Polyvagal Theory – understanding and supporting the nervous system in relationships

  • Attachment & Development Models – exploring how early relational patterns influence current connection

  • Somatic and experiential practices – using body awareness, movement, and presence as healing tools

All equine sessions are groundwork-based—no horseback riding involved and no previous horse experience is necessary.

How Equine Therapy Can Support You

Equine therapy can be especially helpful for:

  • Individuals who feel disconnected, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed

  • Those wanting to develop stronger boundaries, self-awareness, or relational skills

  • People healing from relational wounds, developmental trauma, or emotional neglect

  • Anyone craving a deeper, more embodied experience of therapy

Working with horses invites us into a more regulated state, teaches us how to listen to our body’s cues, and helps us remember what it feels like to be in safe, attuned relationship.

What to Expect in a Session

Equine therapy sessions are held outdoors in a peaceful, natural setting near Durango, Colorado. In each session, we follow your pace and allow the experience to unfold organically. You may:

  • Observe or interact with horses from a distance

  • Engage in guided activities that highlight relationship dynamics

  • Explore boundaries, nervous system cues, and emotional responses

  • Reflect on what arises with the support of the therapist and the horses

You don’t need any prior experience with horses—just an openness to be present, curious, and willing to engage in the process.

Why Horses?

Horses live in the present moment. They are masters of reading body language, energy, and intention. When we show up with them authentically, they respond in kind—providing powerful opportunities for feedback, healing, and insight. In their presence, we often find clarity, regulation, and connection that can be hard to access elsewhere.

Being with horses can:

  • Help regulate your nervous system

  • Support trauma healing through safe, embodied presence

  • Offer honest reflection without judgment or agenda

  • Teach relational skills through direct, felt experience

Begin Your Journey with Equine Therapy

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy is offered in person near Durango, Colorado. If you're longing for a different kind of therapeutic experience—one that invites connection, presence, and deep relational healing—this work may be right for you.

Reach out to schedule a free consultation. Let’s explore how equine therapy can support your healing, growth, and reconnection with what truly matters.