Happier Trails,llc
NH-based Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
Anna Rose Carrigan, MSW, EMDR trained
About Us
Welcome! If you're reading this, it's a safe bet that you are considering therapy for yourself or your child.Finding a therapist that is a good fit is so important, and I'd like to share about myself and our team to guide you as you determine which professional you may like to work with. Eagala therapy is different than many traditional forms of counseling in that it utilizes a team treatment approach to attend to the needs of both human and horse.
Why Horses?
Animals have an unmatched ability to reflect back to us honestly how our presence, actions, and the environment are affecting them. This can be very powerful in the therapeutic process as we work to learn about ourselves, our relationship to others and the world around us, and how we react to presented challenges in the pursuit of healing.
There are specific characteristics about horses that make them ideal partners in this work. Due to the nature of being prey animals, horses are closely attuned with the environment around them and provide instant feedback based on both our verbal and non-verbal cues, which are invaluable as we seek information about ourselves. Many equines are much bigger than people, which means we can't simply overpower them to gain control and force them to do what we want. This pushes us to look at how we communicate and approach obstacles. Lastly, horses are social animals that exist in herds, similar to a family or group of friends where each has their own personality, place, habits, strengths, struggles, and moods. As humans that live in similar social structures and have our own distinct personalities, there's a lot horses can help teach us about ourselves.
The Equina Assisted Growth and Learning Association (Eagala) model is an evidence based, non-riding form of therapy, with the purpose being to put the Client and horse in an equal power dynamic, as partners in the work.
Services
The focus at Happier Trails is equine-assisted psychotherapy, although office sessions for those not interested in animal-assisted therapy, or who are not sure initially are also available.
Additionally, in partnership with other equine and qualified professionals, Happier Trails participates in hosting equine-facilitated wellness activities such as yoga and art classes in the presence of horses. These activities are not therapy, nor tied to Eagala.
Contact
603-403-2651
Office Space and Mailing Address
27 N. Main St. Suite 10
Concord, NH 03301
On-street, metered parking only
Ancora Imparo Equine Center
130 Corn Hill Rd.
Boscawen, NH 033303
Visits by appointment only. Please call Happier Trails to schedule a session.
