Questions, Curiosities & Helpful Information
Whether you're exploring therapy for yourself, your child, or someone you care about, it's natural to have questions. Learn more about equine-assisted therapy, play-based interventions, trauma-informed care, and what to expect at ReWilding Therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Equine-Assisted Therapy
Therapy doesn't always happen sitting across from someone in an office. At ReWilding Therapy, healing is nurtured through relationships, nature, movement, play, and connection.
Equine-assisted therapy is a therapeutic approach that incorporates horses into the healing process. Unlike riding lessons, the focus is not on learning to ride. Instead, horses become partners in helping individuals build emotional awareness, confidence, healthy relationships, self-regulation, and resilience.
Through carefully designed therapeutic experiences, clients have opportunities to explore patterns, practice new skills, and experience connection in ways that often feel more natural than traditional office-based therapy.
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
Do clients need horse experience?
What is equine-assisted therapy?
How is equine-assisted therapy different from therapeutic riding or hippotherapy?
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
Do clients need horse experience?
What is equine-assisted therapy?
Not at all.
No previous horse experience is required, and many clients arrive with little or no experience around horses. Sessions are designed to meet each individual where they are, with safety, comfort, and consent remaining central throughout the process.
How is equine-assisted therapy different from therapeutic riding or hippotherapy?
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
Do clients need horse experience?
What is equine-assisted therapy?
Not quite.
While sessions may feel engaging, creative, and sometimes playful, they are grounded in evidence-based therapeutic principles. Activities are intentionally designed to support emotional growth, nervous system regulation, attachment, communication, confidence, and healing.
The work may not always look like traditional therapy, but every activity has a purpose.
How is equine-assisted therapy different from therapeutic riding or hippotherapy?
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
Do clients need horse experience?
What is equine-assisted therapy?
Trauma impacts more than our thoughts. It can affect our nervous system, relationships, sense of safety, and ability to regulate emotions.
Horses naturally respond to body language, emotional states, and nervous system cues. This creates opportunities for clients to develop awareness, build trust, practice regulation, strengthen boundaries, and experience safe connection in real time.
Many people find this approach especially meaningful when traditional talk therapy has felt overwhelming, frustrating, or ineffective.
How is equine-assisted therapy different from therapeutic riding or hippotherapy?
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
Do clients need horse experience?
What is equine-assisted therapy?
How is equine-assisted therapy different from therapeutic riding or hippotherapy?
This question addresses the common misconception that equine-assisted therapy is primarily focused on riding skills or physical rehabilitation. ReWilding Therapy is a mental health service that uses the relationship between people, horses, and nature to support emotional wellbeing, nervous system regulation, self-awareness, confidence, and personal growth. While some sessions may include mounted activities when therapeutically appropriate, the focus remains on therapeutic goals rather than riding instruction.
Children, Youth & Families
Therapy doesn't always happen sitting across from someone in an office. At ReWilding Therapy, healing is nurtured through relationships, nature, movement, play, and connection.
Play is a child's natural language.
Play therapy uses developmentally appropriate activities, creativity, movement, storytelling, and relationship-based experiences to help children express emotions, process difficult experiences, build coping skills, and strengthen confidence.
Children often communicate what they cannot yet put into words through play.
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
How do I know if this approach is right for my child?
What is play therapy?
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Is this just "playing with horses"?
How do I know if this approach is right for my child?
What is play therapy?
Equine-assisted and play-based interventions can be especially helpful for children and youth who are experiencing anxiety, ADHD, emotional regulation challenges, grief and loss, trauma, attachment difficulties, foster care or adoption transitions, low self-esteem, social struggles, behavioural concerns, or challenges at school.
Because every child is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. A consultation provides an opportunity to learn more about your child's unique needs and explore whether this style of support may be a good fit.
What concerns do you commonly support?
What ages do you work with?
How do I know if this approach is right for my child?
What is play therapy?
ReWilding Therapy primarily supports:
Support may also be available for adults, families, veterans, and first responders depending on individual needs.
- Children ages 3–12
- Youth ages 13–18
Support may also be available for adults, families, veterans, and first responders depending on individual needs.
What concerns do you commonly support?
What ages do you work with?
How do I know if this approach is right for my child?
What is play therapy?
ReWilding Therapy works with individuals who may be navigating the impacts of trauma, PTSD, Complex PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, occupational stress injuries, self-harm, anger, emotional regulation challenges, attachment difficulties, and relationship struggles. Support may also be helpful for those working through grief, life transitions, or experiences that have left them feeling disconnected from themselves or others.
Because no two stories are the same, therapy is always tailored to the unique needs, goals, and experiences of each person.
More Than "Just Playing With Horses"
Research continues to show that trauma affects not only our thoughts, but our nervous systems, relationships, and bodies. Equine-assisted and play-based interventions create opportunities to build regulation, attachment, emotional awareness, confidence, and resilience in ways that feel safe, engaging, and developmentally appropriate.
Yes.
Research continues to demonstrate positive outcomes related to emotional regulation, self-awareness, confidence, relationship-building, trauma recovery, and overall wellbeing through equine-assisted interventions.
Many families appreciate that this approach combines evidence-informed therapeutic practices with movement, nature, experiential learning, and authentic connection.
Why doesn't traditional talk therapy work for everyone?
Why do horses help people heal?
Is there research supporting play therapy?
Is there research supporting equine-assisted therapy?
What makes ReWilding Therapy different?
How does equine-assisted therapy help with trauma?
Why do horses help people heal?
Is there research supporting play therapy?
Is there research supporting equine-assisted therapy?
Absolutely.
Play therapy is a well-established therapeutic approach supported by decades of research. Studies show that play-based interventions can help children improve emotional regulation, communication skills, behavioural functioning, self-esteem, and resilience.
What makes ReWilding Therapy different?
What concerns do you commonly support?
Why do horses help people heal?
Is there research supporting play therapy?
Is there research supporting equine-assisted therapy?
Horses are highly relational animals with a remarkable ability to respond to human emotions, energy, and body language.
Because horses live fully in the present moment, they provide immediate and honest feedback that can help clients better understand themselves, their relationships, and their patterns of coping.
This creates opportunities for growth that often feel natural, safe, and deeply meaningful.
Because horses live fully in the present moment, they provide immediate and honest feedback that can help clients better understand themselves, their relationships, and their patterns of coping.
This creates opportunities for growth that often feel natural, safe, and deeply meaningful.
What makes ReWilding Therapy different?
Why doesn't traditional talk therapy work for everyone?
Why do horses help people heal?
Is there research supporting play therapy?
Is there research supporting equine-assisted therapy?
For some individuals, especially those who have experienced trauma, healing cannot happen through words alone.
Trauma often affects the body, nervous system, relationships, and sense of safety. Experiential approaches such as equine-assisted therapy and play-based interventions allow clients to engage in healing through movement, relationship, sensory experiences, creativity, and connection.
These approaches can make therapy feel more accessible, especially for children and those who struggle to express their experiences verbally.
What makes ReWilding Therapy different?
Why doesn't traditional talk therapy work for everyone?
Why do horses help people heal?
Is there research supporting play therapy?
Is there research supporting equine-assisted therapy?
What makes ReWilding Therapy different?
ReWilding Therapy was built on the belief that healing happens through safe relationships, connection, movement, play, nature, and nervous system regulation.
Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, care is tailored to the whole person and the systems surrounding them, including families, schools, caregivers, and support networks.
The approach is trauma-informed, relational, evidence-based, and intentionally designed to feel authentic, engaging, and developmentally appropriate.
Qualifications & Professional Standards
Therapy doesn't always happen sitting across from someone in an office. At ReWilding Therapy, healing is nurtured through relationships, nature, movement, play, and connection.
Why does specialized training matter?
What specialized training does Sarah have?
Sarah has completed advanced training in Equine-Assisted Therapy through EAAPI, TraumaPlay®, DBT-informed interventions, and CAPT certification, while continuing to pursue ongoing education in trauma, attachment, and relational approaches to care.
For a closer look at Sarah's training and professional development, visit the About page.
For a closer look at Sarah's training and professional development, visit the About page.
How are the horses cared for within the therapeutic process?
Can professionals refer clients to ReWilding Therapy?
Why does specialized training matter?
What specialized training does Sarah have?
Every therapeutic approach requires specific knowledge, skills, and supervision.
Specialized training helps ensure that interventions are grounded in evidence-based practices and delivered in ways that are ethical, effective, and responsive to each client's unique needs.
Specialized training helps ensure that interventions are grounded in evidence-based practices and delivered in ways that are ethical, effective, and responsive to each client's unique needs.
How are the horses cared for within the therapeutic process?
Can professionals refer clients to ReWilding Therapy?
Why does specialized training matter?
What specialized training does Sarah have?
At ReWilding Therapy, the wellbeing of our horses is just as important as the wellbeing of our clients. Our work is grounded in animal science, ethical horsemanship, trauma-informed practice, and a deep respect for horses as sentient partners in the therapeutic process.
Horses are never viewed as tools for therapy. Their physical health, emotional wellbeing, communication, and individual needs are carefully considered in every session. Interactions are guided by observation, relationship, consent, and advocacy to ensure experiences remain safe, respectful, and beneficial for both people and animals.
Horses are never viewed as tools for therapy. Their physical health, emotional wellbeing, communication, and individual needs are carefully considered in every session. Interactions are guided by observation, relationship, consent, and advocacy to ensure experiences remain safe, respectful, and beneficial for both people and animals.
How are the horses cared for within the therapeutic process?
Can professionals refer clients to ReWilding Therapy?
How are the horses cared for within the therapeutic process?
Why does specialized training matter?
What specialized training does Sarah have?
Can professionals refer clients to ReWilding Therapy?
Absolutely.
Referrals are welcomed from therapists, physicians, schools, social workers, case managers, community agencies, and other helping professionals.
Collaboration is often an important part of supporting lasting change.
Referrals are welcomed from therapists, physicians, schools, social workers, case managers, community agencies, and other helping professionals.
Collaboration is often an important part of supporting lasting change.
What to Expect
At ReWilding Therapy, support is tailored to each individual's unique needs, experiences, and goals. Here are answers to some common questions about what it's like to work together.
The consultation is an opportunity to connect, ask questions, and explore whether ReWilding Therapy feels like the right fit.
We'll discuss your goals, current challenges, and what support you're seeking while answering any questions you may have about the process.
Do you work with schools and other professionals?
Do parents participate in sessions?
What should I expect during a session?
What happens during a consultation?
Do you support veterans and first responders?
Do you work with schools and other professionals?
Do parents participate in sessions?
What should I expect during a session?
What happens during a consultation?
Every session looks a little different.
Depending on your goals, sessions may involve interactions with horses, nature-based experiences, play-based activities, reflection, movement, creative interventions, and skill-building opportunities.
Sessions are always tailored to the individual rather than following a one-size-fits-all model.
Do you support veterans and first responders?
Do you work with schools and other professionals?
Do parents participate in sessions?
What should I expect during a session?
What happens during a consultation?
Parent involvement depends on the age of the child, treatment goals, and individual circumstances.
In many cases, parents and caregivers play an important role in the healing process and may be invited into portions of the work when appropriate.
In many cases, parents and caregivers play an important role in the healing process and may be invited into portions of the work when appropriate.
Do you support veterans and first responders?
Do you work with schools and other professionals?
Do parents participate in sessions?
What should I expect during a session?
What happens during a consultation?
Yes.
ReWilding Therapy values a systems-based approach and recognizes that healing often happens most effectively when important supports are working together.
When appropriate and with consent, collaboration may include schools, healthcare providers, caregivers, and other members of a client's support team.
Do you support veterans and first responders?
Do you work with schools and other professionals?
Do parents participate in sessions?
What should I expect during a session?
What happens during a consultation?
Do you support veterans and first responders?
Yes.
In addition to children and youth, Sarah has experience supporting veterans, first responders, and adults navigating trauma, occupational stress injuries, emotional dysregulation, and complex life experiences.
Resources & Crisis Support
Therapy doesn't always happen sitting across from someone in an office. At ReWilding Therapy, healing is nurtured through relationships, nature, movement, play, and connection.
What if I or my child need immediate support?
Where can I find research supporting these approaches?
Where can I learn more about equine-assisted therapy?
Additional resources, research articles, and professional organizations are available for those interested in learning more about equine-assisted therapy, play therapy, trauma-informed care, and nervous system regulation.
Recommended Resource:
Recommended Resource:
What if I or my child need immediate support?
Where can I find research supporting these approaches?
Where can I learn more about equine-assisted therapy?
A collection of articles, studies, and evidence-based resources can be found through the resources section of this website and through professional organizations focused on trauma, play therapy, and equine-assisted interventions.
What if I or my child need immediate support?
Where can I find research supporting these approaches?
Where can I learn more about equine-assisted therapy?
ReWilding Therapy is not a crisis service.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, is at risk of harm, or requires immediate support, please call 911, visit your nearest emergency department, or contact a local crisis support service immediately.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, is at risk of harm, or requires immediate support, please call 911, visit your nearest emergency department, or contact a local crisis support service immediately.
