Welcome to

Women’s Wisdom Ranch

Equine Therapy in Orange County, CA

Are you feeling alone, stuck or disconnected in your busy life?

Women have so many roles that leave no time for what is life giving and connecting for each woman.  Moving through life in the rushed, overwhelmed way can lead to feeling stuck, alone or disconnected.  Going through all the motions but questioning if this is how it is supposed to be.  Hearing others speak about self care and wondering how anyone gets to do that.  Or in a time in life when roles are changing, leaving gaps in a life and not wanting it to go unlived.

Women’s Wisdom Ranch

 More mindful, more aware, more connected.

Women’s Wisdom Ranch is a space where women can gather with others to explore who they are, what they need and find a life-sustaining connection to others (horses and humans).  We need each other!  

Horses provide a non-judgmental presence that allows humans to feel safe and express themselves without fear of criticism.  In this space, it can be so powerful to feel chosen and seen by such a large and loving being.  Horses’ unique characteristics and their ability to connect with humans on an emotional level make them valuable partners in therapeutic and personal development processes. Horses live in the present moment and when we are with them, they invite us to do this as well.  And it is from this overall, more mindful awareness that everything can shift!  

We invite you to slow down and join your breath with the horses, nature and other women!  In this more mindful space, discover what comes alive in you, what desires return, and what new callings you hear for your life.

Our Approach

We believe it is curiosity that can lead to more satisfying lives as it creates openness for learning, connection and growth.  Horses naturally dwell in that space of being curious with others when their needs for safety are met.  We as humans are the same way and like horses, we often find that safety in our “herd”- with others.  That is why we offer group horse experiences.  

Horses intuitively know that the horse at the most risk is the horse that is alone.  While many women are often not alone, because of the many roles and connections they have with others, we often find they are feeling alone in their thoughts, desires, and dreams.  We are that space!

This shared emotional experience can result in a deep felt, intuitive connection for both horse and human.

Horses  offer immediate feedback to situations which allow individuals to quickly see the impact of their actions and learn to adjust “in real time.”  Relationships with horses require trust and mutual respect.  

When a human engages in this relationship process they can benefit with increased self trust and self confidence.  Horses' communication is all non-verbal.  The opportunity for humans is to slow down and pay more attention to their own communication skills and emotional awareness.  Horses can teach us things about ourselves and deepen our capacity for connection to ourselves and others.

About the Ranch

We work in an area in Silverado Canyon.  The horses live on  part of a 17 acre privately owned property where deer, bobcats, bunnies and roadrunners co-exist.  The seasons of blooms, trees, and life force are witnessed through the day, the months, the years.  

The land is a sacred partner in the healing work.

Nature also brings us into a mindful space, a connecting space, a space of belonging.  Nature will also often open us up to more creative and focused spaces.    It is such a change from the hustle and bustle of city life and stimulation, participants often report an almost immediate reduction of stress and anxiety just by driving onto the small oak tree lined dirt road.  Space for a deep inhale.  And then an exhale.

Shared slow breath with horses, nature and other women!  In this more mindful space, what comes alive in you?  What new callings do you hear for your life?  What latent desires return wanting to be seen now?

Meet the Team

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    Sue has been in the social work profession for nearly 30 years with a commitment to helping others find a space for healing.  She has worked with many populations including children and families engaged with the social services system (adoption, family reunification for children and families in abusive circumstances), college age adults as a director of college counseling center and private practice.  She is trained in EMDR and Natural Lifemanship.

    Sue came to equine work as an avenue to support herself in her own healing journey.  She had always had a love of animals but little experience with horses.  Over the last years, and with the guidance of her own horse, Mateo, she has been so excited to watch and learn what horses have to teach for herself and others with their gifts of honesty and strength.  

    Additionally, Sue has rediscovered the importance for women to be held in safe containers with other women where they can re-discover their own inner wisdom to bring back to their lives.  It is so powerful to witness women empower themselves when in these spaces. Sue’s philosophy for change is that when safe spaces can be held and gently guided, we all hold the wisdom we need to create the life we want.  It’s often a gentle nudge back to your own knowing thru your body, mind and spirit that then returns when we are in a connected relationship and mindful space. It’s been an honor to facilitate these types of groups for women in different parts of California and Arizona.

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    April has loved all things equine for as long as she can remember and will never forget her first ride on a big Palomino named River.  April was blessed to grow up riding, and spent time working on a ranch in college. This gave her the opportunity to interact with many different horses.  It was here she fell in love with their intuitive nature and kind hearts.  Her dream of bringing the horse into the healing process has been realized in her work as an Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist.  April is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  She is also certified in Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy.  She is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and received specialized training in Equine Assisted EMDR. She has been utilizing this powerful modality in her practice for 10 years.  April’s therapeutic philosophy involves inviting the horse as a willing participant into the session.  She firmly believes in the horse’s ability to facilitate change and healing.  She has worked with adults, children and families struggling with a variety of issues and has been witness many times to the power of equine therapy.

Our Herd

  • Journey is a Morgan/Arabian cross, born in 1999.  He spent much of his life as a riding and lesson horse.  His previous owner noticed that Journey had a special way with people.  His gentle presence and calming spirit draws many to his side.  As he engages in his leadership role in the herd, he offers a near perfect blend of holding space and setting boundaries with gentleness .  You can often find Journey resting his head on the shoulder of someone who needs an extra dose of love.  He is an integral part of the herd as he embodies his strength, comfort and leadership.

  • Mateo is also a BLM Mustang gelding.  For the first 10 years of life he had a variety of training experiences.  Some offered choice for him, some offered only choice for the human.  He was then adopted by a kind owner who had life circumstances that didn’t allow him much interaction or further training. In some ways, he returned back to being feral and very untrusting of humans.  With time, guidance, patience and positive reinforcement, he is enjoying life more in relationship with other horses and humans.  He offers a very powerful reward when a human can go slow with him to allow his sense of safety to develop.  He teaches the value of patience and possibility.

  • Eli is a BLM Mustang gelding.  He was born in 2010 in the wild of Northern California near the Nevada border.  Eli was captured as part of theBLM herd management program when he was just a year old.  He lived in a holding facility for 2 years before being chosen for the Mustang Makeover competition held in Norco, CA in 2014.  Eli placed well in the competition and was purchased by a couple, who after 6 weeks, decided they couldn't keep him.  April heard about Eli needing a new home and adopted him.  Eli is a sweet boy who takes a while to warm up.  It took some time for him to trust humans, be he has come a long way.  He can be aloof at times but is goofy and smart.  His favorite things to do are eat grass, hang with the other horses and go exploring on trail.

  • Lady Bug (aka Lady) is a sweet mare born in 2019.  She was born on the property and has only had positive experiences with humans.  Her curiosity to know is what often amuses us all the most. Her frolicking fun brings a smile to many.  In her exuberance, she will offer a chance to explore horse/human boundaries to find a space where it is good for the horse and the human ...which is where true relationship exists.  

Uncover your intuition. 

Rediscover your inner wisdom.

Uncover your intuition.

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Uncover your intuition. —