Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (or EAP as you’ll sometimes see it written) is psychotherapy that includes interactions with horses, donkeys or mules. The animals, in partnership with the human clinician, help to facilitate a therapeutic process focused on your established goals.

I always start with understanding your goals, needs, and hopes so that I can create interactions with the herd that allows those very things to show up front and center. Then the horses and I support your healing through thoughtful, reparative moments that make new patterns a possibility.

For kids and teens, sessions involve art, play, nature exploration, ethical horsemanship learning, somatic approaches and inter-species relationship building.

For adults, sessions involve traditional psychotherapy under the shade trees, walk and talks down the horse trail, ethical horsemanship learning, somatic approaches and inter-species relationship building.

Some accommodations can be made, but it is dependent on the specific needs of each individual. In general, the operating space, clinician structure (generally only one clinician at a time) and current training of the therapy horses does not support open enrollment. But this is true for all individuals who participate, consultations are done beforehand to make sure that the needs of you or your loved one can be safely and fully met!

Sessions DO NOT include any mounted work! All sessions occur “eye to eye” as we say (aka on the ground).

You feeling safe is my #1 priority. It is fairly common to feel uncomfortable around multiple horses at once, especially in the beginning. I will be checking in with you regularly to assess how safe and comfortable you’re feeling. In sessions where there are nerves or maybe just preference, we’ll work with one horse at a time.

Yes! My studies of depth psychology and social work greatly inform my orientation to psychotherapeutic work. I am also EMDR certified and a registered yoga teacher.

I have a brick and mortar practice in Huntington Beach as well and am in the office Monday-Wednesdays. I am available for virtual sessions in the state of CA. You can learn more about my private practice at www.alexarodell.com

I do not take insurance directly. If you have a PPO insurance and meet criteria for a DSM-V diagnosis, I can provide you with a superbill that allows you to request reimbursement from your insurance provider. 

Third party payers are welcome! If you are a representative of an organization that provides funding for mental health services or if you are an individual that is partnered with an organization, I am able to invoice a third party payer directly.