The Stables

Program Overview

At the Stables, sensory therapy targets three brain regions commonly affected by trauma—the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus—through structured, horse-partnered activities grounded in kinesiology, neurophysiology, and sensory integration. When chronic stress has “over-revved” threat systems or disconnected memory and reasoning, our sessions help restore flexible attention, reasoning, and memory for day-to-day choices. Participants practice paced breathing, grounding, bilateral and rhythmic movement (leading and grooming), and, when indicated, mounted work to provide graded vestibular/proprioceptive input. Over time, this helps re-engage the frontal networks that support planning and reduces reactivity to trauma cues.

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How We Operate

Community Need

We serve children and adults recovering from abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking, combat, and responder trauma. For trafficking survivors specifically, we embed survivor-centered, trauma-informed care (safety, choice, collaboration, empowerment, cultural humility) and coordinate case management across legal, housing, and health systems—approaches recommended in reviews of trafficking aftercare. Evidence suggests that the field still lacks rigorous trials, so we emphasize the importance of careful measurement and integration with evidence-based therapies (e.g., TF-CBT, EMDR) delivered by qualified partners.

Clinical Rationale

Traditional talk therapy depends on access to rational thought. After trauma, this access becomes biologically more difficult: the HPA axis can remain on high alert; the amygdala may misinterpret non-threats as threats; and memory systems struggle to assign proper timing and context to experiences. By first calming arousal and enhancing sensory regulation, participants are better prepared to benefit from psychotherapy, schooling, work, and family life.

Therapy Evaluation

We pair individualized sessions with objective evaluation:

  • Clinical outcomes: include the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), PHQ-9, GAD-7, Dissociative Experiences Scale (brief), DERS (emotion regulation), CD-RISC (resilience), and WHO-5 (well-being).
  • Physiology: resting heart rate/HRV; optional EEG in research groups to examine functional connectivity changes related to regulation. EEG methods are increasingly used to study PTSD networks and therapy-related changes, although clinical usefulness is still developing.
  • Timing: baseline, mid-point, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
  • Design: We utilize routine outcomes monitoring, where possible, contributing de-identified data to multi-site registries to strengthen the evidence base for equine-assisted, sensory-focused interventions.
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"Many of our clients don’t even trust their own instincts anymore, let alone another living being. Before we even introduce grooming or leading, we give them space to just be present. It’s incredible how many of my clients say the first thing they notice is how calm the horse is around them. It’s maybe the first time in years they’ve felt like their presence alone is enough."

Parker

"[Our clients] find the PCL-5 really helpful because it lets them take a moment to think about their symptoms in private before we start our sessions. It gives them a sense of control over how they share their journey with me. And, filling it out regularly helps them notice positive changes they might not have recognized otherwise."

Skyler

"When she first started, she would flinch every time the horse moved suddenly, even if it were just a tail swish or a head turn. She would stand stiff as a board, barely breathing, and kept her distance. One day, I saw her standing beside the horse, brushing its coat with long, slow strokes. She had a relaxed stance, her breathing matched the horse’s, and she wasn’t looking around like she expected something bad to happen. That was the moment I knew things were changing for her."

Blake

**Blevins, C. A., Weathers, F. W., Davis, M. T., Witte, T. K., & Domino, J. L. (2015). The posttraumatic stress disorder checklist for DSM‐5 (PCL‐5): Development and initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 28(6), 489-498. 

Nelson, C., Dossett, K., & Walker, D. L. (2024). Equine-assisted therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder among first responders. Psychological Reports, 127(5), 2203-2219. 

Vincent, A., & Robson, J. (2023). Interventions and strategies toward mental health and wellbeing for professionals. In Integrating Horses Into Healing (pp. 309-323). Academic Press.