Meet Tammy
Tammy started in her journey to provide Equine Therapy as a result of her personal experience with domestic violence and her own healing journey with the support of her horse, Bunny.
Tammy also had the opportunity to be involved in both a university and an informal Veterans Administration research project, using Equine Assisted Psychotherapy with women survivors of domestic violence, women veterans with PTSD and those that experienced military sexual trauma as well as men veterans dealing with PTSD and anxiety. This was a powerful and life changing experience for the clients and for Tammy.
Tammy holds a master’s degree in counseling from Oregon State University. Tammy has unique dual designations as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning and as a Mental Health Professional in Equine Facilitated Mental Health. Tammy is trained in Natural Lifemanship’s Trauma Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.
Tammy is Tri-Certified through P.A.T.H. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International as a Registered Therapist and Equine Specialist as well as a Certification as a Therapeutic Riding Instructor. She is also E.M.D.R. trained, EquiLateral Equine Assisted EMDR trained, trained in Military culture as well as trained in the E.A.G.A.L.A model and Equine Polyvagal. As a result of these trainings and her lifelong experience partnering with horses, Tammy has developed her own unique approach to delivering Equine Facilitated Mental health services.
Tammy’s experience includes working with clients in both in-patient and out-patient substance abuse treatment programs with teens and adults, sexual trauma survivors, survivors of domestic violence, veterans dealing with PTSD and those that experienced military sexual trauma as well as first responders. She also works with issues involving trauma, self-esteem, setting healthy boundaries, assertiveness, depression and anxiety as well as autism & neurodivergent individuals. Tammy works with First Responders, Veterans, Veteran spouses and Veteran families as well as tweens, teens and adults.
Tammy utilizes Equine Facilitated Mental Health (EFMH) to partner with horses in therapy using DBT. This EFMH Model is effective because it embraces the science that humans learn best by doing. Effective and deliberate techniques are utilized as the clients learn and practice DBT skills in specific ground-based experiences with horses.
Tammy has done extensive work in the study of Natural Horsemanship exploring the relationship and enhancing the communication and connection with horses. Tammy rode horses competitively in a variety of disciplines for over 40 years. Tammy shares her passion for horses on a journey of learning new life skills with her clients.
Tammy has extensive previous business and professional expertise working with executives and boards in a variety of non-profit, private sector and bureaucratic environments. Including management, grant writing & administration, consulting and small business owner in natural resource, conservation & water issues, construction, legal, community development, contracts and project management work settings. She designed and built two homes as well as developed the Wellness Ranch.
