Certify in PACFA Accredited
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
& Animal Assisted Training
Allied Health professionals, counsellors, teachers, coaches and support workers- are you ready to integrate the healing power of Horses and Animals in your work?
The First Australian Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Training Institute that raised the International Standard.
Love. Science. Ethics.
Since 2011 The Equine and Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Institute has been teaching a different way of practicing. One grounded in science, guided by ethics, shaped by trauma informed care, and transformed through humanistic psychotherapy and authentic relationships between people, animals and the natural world.
Whether you are a therapist, counsellor, psychologist, educator, coach or support worker, our training will not only transform how you work, it will deepen your relationships with your animal-friends and most fundamentally, with your-self.
Your Work Can
Go Deeper
You have seen it.
The adult client who finally grieves in the presence of horses.
The corporate executive who surrenders to support on horse-back.
The school refuser who will only attend counselling on the farm.
The child who is mute and begins talking with your dog.
The neurodiverse child who excitedly skips to chicken-club at school.
This is no coincidence.
It is the power of human-animal relationship.
We give you the methodology, confidence and certificate to empower your clients and practice with professionalism, ethics and intention.
Your Work Can
Go Deeper
You have seen it.
The adult client who finally grieves in the presence of horses.
The corporate executive who surrenders to support on horse-back.
The school refuser who will only attend counselling on the farm.
The child who is mute and begins talking with your dog.
The neurodiverse child who excitedly skips to chicken-club at school.
This is no coincidence.
It is the power of human-animal relationship.
We give you the methodology, confidence and certificate to empower your clients and practice with professionalism, ethics and intention.
Recognition & Associations
Science with Soul
Science without soul is sterile.
Soul without science is irresponsible.
Our evidence informed methodology integrates neuroscience, trauma theory, phenomenology, animal science, embodiment and humanistic psychology into one rigorous framework. It transforms how practitioners understand relationships, healing and change.
Trauma Informed by Design
Trauma informed is not a phrase. It is the foundation of our work.
For more than 15 years we have led the field in trauma informed equine and animal assisted practice. Every program integrates nervous system science, the window of tolerance, embodied regulation and trauma sensitive facilitation, equipping practitioners to work with confidence, safety and integrity.
Animals as Sentient Partners
Animals are sentient partners. Never props. Never tools. Never techniques.
We teach practitioners to work with animals as active participants in the therapeutic process. Grounded in consent, ethics and interconnection, our approach creates deeper safety, stronger relationships and more meaningful therapeutic and learning outcomes for people and animals alike.
A Methodology
We Had to Create
Empowering practitioners with knowledge, compassion and science.
Our EAAPI Integrated Theoretical Model is recognised worldwide for it’s expertise in bridging academic knowledge, practical application and curating a unique consent-based curriculum. Bringing together humanistic psychotherapy, animal science, animal advocacy and original concepts of I-thou horsepersonship and I-thou interspecies relating, our training is not only comprehensive, with 200 hours of focused education, training and supervision, it is pioneering a new way forward for equine assisted services and animal assisted services.
A Methodology
We Had to Create
Empowering practitioners with knowledge, compassion and science.
Our EAAPI Integrated Theoretical Model is recognised worldwide for it’s expertise in bridging academic knowledge, practical application and curating a unique consent-based curriculum. Bringing together humanistic psychotherapy, animal science, animal advocacy and original concepts of I-thou horsepersonship and I-thou interspecies relating, our training is not only comprehensive, with 200 hours of focused education, training and supervision, it is pioneering a new way forward for equine assisted services and animal assisted services.
EAAPI Integrated Theoretical Model
Choose Your Pathway
Every practitioner begins in a different place.
Whether your work is clinical, education, coaching or support, each pathway is built on the same foundation of science, ethics, trauma informed practice and authentic relationships with horses and animals.
Choose the pathway that aligns with your current professional registration and where you want your practice to go.
Clinical Psychotherapy Pathway
For registered mental health, counselling and allied health practitioners.
Counsellors • Psychologists • Social Workers • Occupational Therapists • Psychiatrists • Mental Health Nurses
Expand your clinical practice beyond the consulting room through professional certification in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy or Animal Assisted Psychotherapy.
Designed for registered practitioners, this pathway combines rigorous theory, supervised practice and a comprehensive clinical framework for working ethically and effectively alongside horses and animals. Choose Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (horses) or Animal Assisted Psychotherapy (all other animal species).
You’ll graduate with:
- Professional certification, including an optional PACFA accredited pathway for Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
- A complete methodology for integrating horses or animals into psychotherapy
- The confidence to work with trauma, children, adolescents and clients who may not engage in traditional settings
- Ongoing supervision, professional community and eligibility for specialist insurance
This pathway is for you if…
You already have therapeutic or clinical registration and want to build a recognised clinical specialty. You are looking for more than another qualification. You want a methodology that deepens your practice, expands your impact and equips you to work with confidence, credibility and integrity.
Experiential Learning Pathway
For educators, coaches and support professionals.
Teachers • Coaches • Leadership Facilitators • Support Workers • Horse Professionals • Mindfulness Practitioners • Yoga Teachers
Develop a professional specialty in Equine Assisted Learning or Animal Assisted Learning that brings together experiential education, ethical practice and the transformative power of relationships between people, animals and the natural world.
Designed for professionals working in education, coaching, leadership and community settings, this pathway provides a practical methodology for facilitating meaningful learning beyond traditional environments.
You’ll graduate with:
- Professional certification in Equine Assisted Learning or Animal Assisted Learning
- An ethical framework for experiential facilitation with horses and animals
- Skills in trauma informed practice, nervous system awareness, embodied learning and animal wisdom
- Ongoing supervision, professional community and continuing professional development
This pathway is for you if…
You want to create learning experiences that are more relational, engaging and transformative. You value ethical practice, genuine partnerships with animals and professional training that gives you the confidence and credibility to lead this work well.
The Practitioner You Become
The greatest transformation is not what you learn. It is who you become.
Training with EAAPI gives you more than new knowledge and skills. It transforms how you understand change, the mechanism of change, and how to facilitate change that lasts.
Your work will feel fresh, competent and deeply meaningful again.
Expand Your
Reach
Support the people who often struggle in traditional settings.
Children, adolescents, trauma survivors, neurodivergent clients and those who do not connect with conventional clinical or educational environments often respond differently when relationships, animals and nature become part of the work. You become a practitioner with greater reach, deeper connection and lasting impact.
Build a Practice That Sustains You
Create work that is professionally rewarding, financially sustainable and personally fulfilling.
Whether you are expanding an existing practice or creating something new, our pathways provide recognised professional certification, access to specialist insurance and the confidence to build a practice that reflects your values as much as your expertise.
Belong to a Professional Community
Your certification is not the end of your journey. It is the beginning.
As an EAAPI graduate, you join an international community of practitioners with access to supervision, continuing professional development and colleagues across more than 20 countries. You do not simply complete a program. You become part of a professional community committed to lifelong learning, ethical practice and meaningful change.
Pathway Decision Helper
Still deciding which pathway is yours? That’s a reasonable question and we’d rather help you find the right fit than have you guess. Our team can walk you through the distinction, your eligibility, and which pathway aligns with your goals and professional context.
What Our Graduates Say
Take Your Next Step
Whether you are ready to begin or simply want to explore your options, we are here to help.
Your Journey Doesn’t End Here
Your Certificate is not the end of your journey. It is the beginning.
Most professional training ends at graduation.
Ours begins there.
As an EAAPI graduate you become part of an international community committed to ethical, relational practice. Through specialist supervision, continuing professional development and colleagues across more than 20 countries, you continue learning long after certification.
Because the conversation never ends.