Thanks to grant, Hope Reins offers equine therapy to those in need

ST. GEORGE — The word therapy often conjures images of a person lying on a couch, while another person sits nearby, listening and jotting notes. But Aubree Sullivan of Hope Reins in Washington City says there’s another way to maintain and improve one’s mental health.

Angie Smith and Aubree Sullivan at Hope Reins in Washington, Utah, Feb. 4, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

“Equine therapy is very different from talk therapy,” said Sullivan, a licensed clinical social worker who also works in equine therapy. “People tend to dismiss therapists during talk therapy by saying: ‘You don’t know me. You don’t know my story.’ The horse doesn’t talk; it shows.”

Sullivan said that during therapy sessions with horses, it’s important to watch the horse’s body language.

“Like us, they communicate through their bodies,” she said. “You’re trying to find a way to control the situation. The horse is trying to find a way to control the situation. You’ve got to learn to listen, compromise and surrender yourself to the process.”

Sullivan said that in therapy, equine or otherwise, process is important. Focusing too much on goals and outcomes may block the path to healing.

“You have to let your expectations go, let life happen. As you learn to do that with the horse, you can take those lessons and apply them to your daily life.”

A participant at Hope Reins works with a mustang during a demonstration in Washington, Utah, Feb. 4, 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

Sullivan took her first class toward getting certified in equine therapy in 2011 and said she never looked back.

“I’ve always been drawn towards horses,” she said. “I knew in my heart that they offer healing to those that are open to it. … When I work with horses, I’m working through my own anxiety too,”

Given the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of the nation, Sullivan feels that there are more people in need of therapy than ever. And since quarantine and social distancing may lead to further isolation, equine therapy offers participants the chance to get outside of their homes, as well as their minds.

Sullivan said that Hope Reins recently received a grant to support therapy sessions for people who may not be able to pay the $60 fee per session. Sullivan and her partner, equine specialist Angie Smith, are available for individual and group sessions, and they’re especially interested in working with others in the health care field.

“It’s so important that we, as health care professionals, come together to do something about the current health crises we’re facing,” Sullivan said. “We’re stepping over dead bodies to argue about politics and whether or not we should wear masks. Meanwhile, people are suffering from mental health crises every day.”

Smith has been working with horses for much of her adult life. She has also worked with troubled teens at residential treatment centers.

“I have a calling for this,” she said. “One day, it just hit me: I should put the two together.”

Smith, who partnered with Sullivan a year ago to form Hope Reins, marvels at the synchronicities that have abounded ever since.

A flyer provided by Hope Reins | Courtesy of Hope Reins for St. George News

“Aubree and I have the same thought processes,” she said. “We’re both very open-minded, and focused on helping people heal.”

As an example, Smith spoke of one memorable moment with a girl who had struggled with therapy for years.

“Nobody could get through to her,” she said, “so her mom brought her to work with us.”

Smith said the session went well, but she wasn’t expecting what came next.

“Her mom called to thank me,” Smith said. “Her daughter had a breakthrough and finally opened up. The mom said she felt like she’d finally got a piece of her daughter back.”

Sullivan wasn’t surprised.

“People ground more quickly out here,” she said. “I know it sounds counter-intuitive to let go of goals, but surrender to the process has a way of quickening the results. The horse opens doors.”

For more information on Hope Reins, visit their Facebook page or call 435-862-4767.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!