EAGALA CERTIFIED
EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy is offered at Hawthorn Hive on a case-by-case basis and provides clients with a powerful, experiential approach to healing. This modality supports individuals in working through emotional, relational, and behavioral challenges by engaging with horses in a non-riding, ground-based setting.
Kari was first certified in Equine-Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) practices in 2015. After volunteering as a yoga instructor at Peace Ranch in 2022, she was drawn back to the profound, relational nature of this work and renewed her EAGALA certification in the spring of 2023.
The EAGALA model is an internationally recognized, evidence-informed framework that uses a team approach, pairing a licensed mental health professional, a certified equine specialist, and one or more horses. Sessions are conducted on the ground, not mounted, and typically take place in a paddock or enclosed field. This setting allows for dynamic interaction, observation, and reflection, where the horse becomes an integral part of the therapeutic process.
Clients are invited to engage with the horse(s) freely and intuitively, with support from the team. Through observation, metaphor, and mindful presence, clients often uncover insights and work through complex emotions and experiences in a way that is deeply embodied and uniquely healing.
This work can be especially supportive for individuals navigating trauma, grief, anxiety, relational dynamics, or life transitions.
To learn more or to explore whether this approach is a good fit for you or your child, please reach out to schedule a free 15-minute consult.
WHY HORSES?
Horses are the perfect partners in healing.
Their presence is grounding, honest, and nonjudgmental. Because horses are highly sensitive and intuitive herd animals, they respond in real-time to the energy, emotions, and nervous systems of those around them. This makes them powerful co-facilitators in therapy, mirroring back the unspoken and offering deep opportunities for insight and connection.
In equine-assisted therapy, clients are invited to interact with horses in an open and spacious way, without pressure, and interpretation or expectation. Unlike human relationships, where words and roles can complicate communication, horses offer a clean slate. Clients often find that they can explore emotions, relational patterns, and inner conflicts in the presence of a horse with a sense of safety and freedom they may not experience elsewhere.
This work doesn’t require riding. Sessions are done on the ground, allowing clients to observe, engage, and build connection in a way that is rooted in mindfulness and embodied awareness. The horse responds authentically, offering gentle feedback without judgment, creating space for growth, regulation, and healing in a deeply relational way.
EXPERIENTIAL
As described by EAGALA, equine-assisted therapy is a powerful experiential approach that supports individuals of all ages in navigating challenges by honoring them as the expert in their own life. This model is grounded in the belief that each person holds the innate wisdom and capacity to find their own answers.
Rather than offering advice or direction, the role of the EAGALA team, which includes a licensed mental health professional and an equine specialist, is to hold space and gently guide the process. Through mindful interaction with the horses, clients are empowered to explore their inner world, gain insight, and create lasting change from within.
