There’s something uniquely powerful about healing alongside animals. Their calm, nonjudgmental presence can help us feel grounded, connected, and safe, especially for kids and teens who may struggle to find the right words or feel comfortable in traditional therapy.

At Healing Horizon Therapies, I offer trauma-informed animal-assisted and unmounted equine-assisted therapy. Rather than relying only on conversation, this approach creates opportunities for healing through movement, connection, play, observation, and real-life experiences with animals.

Equine-Assisted Therapy

Equine-assisted sessions take place outdoors in an open pasture alongside horses and goats, offering a completely different experience from sitting in an office and talking to a therapist. All equine work is unmounted; there is no horseback riding involved. Instead, clients can move through the pasture, interact with and observe the animals, and participate in experiential activities based on their individual therapeutic goals.

Horses and goats each bring something unique to the therapeutic space. Horses can invite us to slow down, become more aware of our bodies, and notice how we approach trust, boundaries, and connection. Goats often bring curiosity, playfulness, and spontaneity; creating natural opportunities for laughter, flexibility, confidence, and engagement.

For children and teens who feel stuck, guarded, restless, or overwhelmed by traditional talk therapy, the pasture provides room to move, explore, connect, and just be. Therapeutic work can happen while walking alongside a horse, practicing a boundary, noticing an animal’s response, interacting with the goats, or simply experiencing what it feels like to be present and connected.

Meet Rigatoni

You may also meet Rigatoni, my sweet and intuitive therapy dog who joins me during office sessions. Whether he’s resting nearby, offering a gentle nuzzle, or being his goofy, loving self, Rigatoni helps many kids and teens feel more comfortable and connected in therapy.

His presence can be intentionally incorporated into EMDR, play therapy, somatic work, and attachment-based interventions to support grounding, co-regulation, comfort, and connection.

Every interaction with an animal is guided by choice, consent, and respect—for both the client and the animal. Clients are never required to interact with Rigatoni, the horses, or the goats, and the animals’ boundaries and well-being are equally important.

Therapy doesn’t always have to happen within four walls. Sometimes healing looks like walking through a pasture, connecting with a horse, being followed by a curious goat, moving your body, laughing, playing, and discovering new ways to feel safe, confident, and connected.

Office Location
11031 Sheridan Blvd
Westminster CO, 80020