Welcome To Our HHF Website

Co-Founders Honored As National-Level Faculty on EFP & AAT
(NOTE: EFP = Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy; AAT = Animal Assisted Therapy)

Validation of the work being done at Interstate Horse Center is made each time a repeat-referral is made by area professionals; social workers, mental health professionals, schools, and more. Yet the highest-level of validation and honor continues to come through repeated requests for Nikki and Bob to be on the faculty of national level professional conferences.

A few of the workshops they've taught in the past year:

“Nature As Prevention of Vicarious Trauma” – National Trauma Conference – Washington, DC

“Healing Horsemanship: A Natural Fit for Trauma Treatment” - NARHA Conference - TX

“Animal Crackers: Integrating Animals & Nature Into Your Work”; “Healing Horsemanship: A Natural Fit for Trauma Treatment”;

“A Time For You: Preventing Vicarious Trauma Via Integration of Animals & Nature Into Your Work” – MW Conference on Child Sexual Abuse – Madison, WI

“Allowing Sacred Space” and above workshops also taught at MN Social Services Asc. conference

The work being done at IHC in the area of nature-based, animal-assisted trauma treatment has been used as an example of applying “Best Practices” in the field of Equine Facilitated Psycho-therapy and Animal Assisted Therapy. Bob and Nikki use standards set by NARHA (see http://www.narha.org for details) in programming at IHC and refer to standards set by other national organizations such as Delta Society (see http://www.deltasociety.org) when facilitating workshops in hopes of increasing the credibility of EFP and AAT as legitimate modes of therapy.

Inspiring slide shows set to music add variety to their presentations. These slide shows make a perfect addition to organizational meetings and/or special programs for church services. Bob and Nikki enjoy sharing how God sent them a shared dream followed by the generous support of many people who shared their vision and belief in serving a higher purpose through relationship with their animals.

Contact Nikki if you'd like them to bring inspiration to an organizational meeting, banquet or special program. Presentations from 15 minutes long to full-day seminars can be adapted to meet the needs of each group.

Words have power. Billions of dollars are spent each year to train management in the finer points of managing personnel. Yet nobody can “train” someone to treat another with authentic respect. Hierarchy in relationships sets everyone up for a power struggle unless authentic respect is attained. Wow! What managers could learn from an afternoon among the IHC herd… horse and human that is.

IHC staff and volunteers are encouraged to open themselves to a new paradigm of working with animals. The animals have an inner wisdom that can‟t be taught by humans. Much of the process used at IHC is based on allowing the animals to lead the process via their innate ability to mirror the human members of the herd (or pack or flock, depending on the animal being worked with).

To truly allow an animal to lead, facilitators must accept their animal “colleague” as an equal in the process. This is a paradigm that challenges many people until they witness a breakthrough in learning or healing during an EFP or EAL session. (EAL = Equine Assisted Learning)

If this sounds intriguing to any of you manager-types, talk with Nikki about organizational / corporate staff retreats available at IHC.

Please E-mail us regarding any questions you may have!
Email Nikki at healinghorseman@aol.com.