Our Therapeutic Approach

Therapy looks different here.

At Gideon’s Care Farm, therapy doesn’t always mean sitting across from a therapist and talking about what’s wrong.

Children and teens often communicate, process, and learn best through play, movement, creativity, connection, and hands-on experiences. That’s why I integrate several therapeutic approaches into sessions, tailoring therapy to each child’s developmental level, needs, personality, and goals.

Our approach may incorporate Equine-Assisted Therapy, Play Therapy, Nature-Based Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing®—often woven together naturally within a single session.

Equine-Assisted Therapy

Equine-Assisted Therapy incorporates horses into the therapeutic process, creating opportunities to work on emotional regulation, communication, relationships, boundaries, confidence, and self-awareness.

Horses offer something unique: immediate, nonjudgmental feedback. A horse may respond to a child’s body language, energy, emotions, or approach, giving us something tangible to notice and explore together.

Rather than simply talking about a challenge, a child can experience it in real time and practice responding differently—with the support of the therapist and the horse.

The horse becomes part of the therapeutic relationship and the learning process. I call them my co-therapists!

Play Therapy

Because play is one of the ways children communicate.

Play therapy uses play and creative experiences to help children express emotions, process experiences, develop coping skills, and practice new ways of interacting with the world.

This might include art, games, imaginative play, sensory activities, movement, storytelling, or other creative experiences.

Play can also be incredibly helpful with older children and teens. Sometimes having something to do makes it easier to feel comfortable, connect, and eventually talk about things that feel difficult.

Instead of asking a child to find the words first, we can meet them where they already are.

Nature-Based Therapy

Sometimes changing the environment changes what becomes possible in therapy.

Nature-Based Therapy incorporates the natural environment into the therapeutic process.

At Gideon’s Care Farm, therapy may include walking through the pasture, observing the animals, caring for the environment, engaging in sensory experiences, or simply slowing down and noticing what is happening around us.

Being outdoors can provide opportunities for movement, curiosity, grounding, mindfulness, and connection. It also allows therapy to feel less structured and more natural for children who may not thrive in a traditional office setting.

Nature becomes more than the setting for therapy, it becomes part of the therapeutic experience.

Somatic Experiencing

Helping children understand the connection between their emotions and their bodies.

Somatic Experiencing is a body-based approach that helps individuals develop awareness of what is happening within their nervous system and body.

Children and teens may notice physical sensations before they have the words to explain an emotion. Anxiety might show up as a tight chest or upset stomach. Anger might feel like clenched muscles or a racing heart. Overwhelm might look like shutting down, wanting to escape, or feeling unable to think clearly.

Somatic work helps us slow down and become curious about these signals.

Rather than focusing only on “What are you thinking?”, we can also explore:

“What are you noticing in your body?”

This can help children develop greater body awareness and learn ways to support themselves when emotions feel big or overwhelming.

When the Approaches Come Together

These approaches don't exist in separate boxes.

A single therapy session might involve grooming a horse while practicing co-regulation, walking through the pasture while noticing body sensations, creating art to express an emotion, or playing a game that naturally creates an opportunity to practice flexibility, communication, or frustration tolerance.

The therapeutic work happens within the experience.

My goal is not simply to teach children about emotional regulation, confidence, communication, or coping skills.

I want them to have opportunities to experience those skills, practice them, and discover what works for them.

Because therapy should be more than talking about change.

It should give children a safe place to experience change.

A Personalized Approach

There is no single approach that works for every child.

I draw from these therapeutic modalities based on each child's individual needs, developmental level, goals, and comfort. Sometimes therapy looks playful and active. Sometimes it is quiet and reflective. Sometimes it involves a horse, and sometimes it doesn't.

The goal is always the same: to create a therapeutic experience where your child feels safe, connected, understood, and supported as they grow.

Ready to see if Gideon's Care Farm is a good fit?

If you're looking for a different kind of therapy experience for your child or teen, I'd love to connect!