Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Individual Sessions & Counseling Groups
All counseling at Healing with Horses Ranch is provided by a licensed clinician in partnership with a certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning (ESHML). Our therapists & equine specialists take a relational approach, prioritizing a secure therapeutic connection with both clients & equines. We aim to support growth through safe, attuned, and connected experiences at the Ranch. Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) sessions help individuals navigate emotional & mental health challenges. This alternate form to traditional therapy has a unique ability to greater support those experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other concerns impacting school, work, relationships, daily functioning, as well as individuals navigating neurodivergent experiences.
Horses are highly attuned to human emotion, offering honest, non-judgmental feedback while creating a space where clients can safely explore what’s coming up. Through guided, ground-based interactions (not riding), individuals build self-awareness, strengthen emotional regulation, and develop relationship skills that foster more authentic & meaningful connections in their everyday lives. Our equine therapy groups blend peer connection with horse partnership to support self-worth, relationship skills, and healthy boundary development.
Healing with Horses Ranch equine-assisted psychotherapy/counseling (EAP) services operate on a seasonal enrollment process that differs from our usual waitlist procedure.
If you are also interested in another service, you’ll need to complete a separate waitlist application.
Enrollment opens 30 days prior to the seasonal start date.
Start date is flexible for individual sessions. Please note that there are not always individual spots available during every enrollment period.
Prospective participants must complete necessary forms, pay deposit payment, and attend a virtual intake.
Groups may be anywhere from 5-8 people in total.
Summer Cycle: opens June 7th, closes July 6th, 2026
One Step at a Time Women Group (8 weeks) July 7th – August 25th
One Step at a Time Teen Edition (4 weeks) July 10th – July 31st
Fall Cycle: opens August 30th, closes September 28th, 2026
One Step at a Time Women Group (8 weeks) September 29th – November 17th
One Step at a Time Teen Edition (8 weeks) October 2nd – November 20th
Once your spot is secured, participants will complete necessary paperwork, payment details, and a brief self-assessment before the first session.
Self-assessments are completed before & after the conclusion of services to help track growth, strengthen our programs, and support future grant opportunities (our ability to provide scholarships in the future).
At the end of our time together, we will always explore next steps, whether that’s joining another cycle, continuing with individual therapy, or exploring other offerings at the Ranch.
Questions, comments, or concerns? Please contact our Clinical Coordinator at lisa.garza@healingwithhorsesranch.org
Meet Our Herd
Healing with Horses Ranch is a PATH International Premier Riding Center. Our instructors & equine specialists, all of whom are PATH certified, believe deeply in the transformative power of the horse-human connection, and the ability for individuals from all backgrounds to improve their emotional, cognitive, and physical abilities.
The horses, our greatest teachers, are the center of our team. We partner with a variety of breeds, shapes, and personalities of horses to meet the diverse needs of our riders. Every member of our herd is part of the family for life. In 2025, we became an equine sanctuary, which means each horse will live out their days here, whether or not they’re actively involved in programs. While we are not a rescue, once an equine is here, they can rest assured that this is their forever home.
A Standard of Excellence
Healing with Horses Ranch is affiliated with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International, which delivers evidence-based, trauma-informed services led by certified professionals. PATH certifies & accredits centers, instructors, and equine specialists using field-tested standards for safety, ethics, and effectiveness. To become certified, instructors must complete a series of continuing education, fulfill student teaching requirements, and pass both written & practical exams.
Originally founded in 2011 as a PATH-compliant center by Patty D’Andrea, an Advanced Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor & Certified Equine Specialist, Healing with Horses Ranch held the first session in January 2012. Just six years later, a voluntary peer review earned the organization status as a PATH International Premier Accredited Center, which has been maintained annually since 2018. This designation recognizes the Ranch for upholding PATH’s highest standards & enables us to train other centers toward the same goals.