Equine Therapy at SJRP
At SJRP, equine therapy is a powerful and popular component of our holistic treatment approach. Most residents engage in twice-weekly equine therapy sessions to support their recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism. We are proud to partner with Dr. Dawn Yelvington of Healing Hearts Therapies & Equine, whose expertise brings a compassionate and transformative experience to our clients.
Equine therapy sessions take place throughout the week, and they consistently become a highlight of our residents’ schedules. While it can sometimes be challenging to keep adults fully engaged in structured treatment activities, equine therapy has a unique way of drawing them in. The bond formed between a client and their horse often fosters breakthroughs—building confidence, reducing stress, and helping individuals reconnect with their sense of purpose. Time and time again, clients return from these sessions grounded, uplifted, and more motivated to take the next step forward in their recovery journey.
The Role of Horses in Addiction Treatment
Horses play a vital role in recovery from addiction to drugs or alcohol. They are keen to sensitivity and quickly react to a person’s mood. A depressed client can instantly see the role their attitude or mood plays in their interaction between themselves and the horse and the adaptations that the horse makes to his behavior as a result. Even a client that comes to equine therapy for drug addiction in what appears to be a “good” mood externally may find that their horse reacts differently and recognizes the deep inner emotions that the individual may not even intentionally share with the group. Interactions between the client and the horse give way to some of these deep emotions and represent a key opportunity for clients to drop their guard, establish trust in themselves and in their horse, and work closely with their therapist on emotions that may not have otherwise surfaced outside of equine therapy.
Horses have a positive impact on clients. Most residents of SJRP report overall gains in emotional wellness and stability resulting from their time in equine therapy. While the therapy varies daily, overall goals in equine therapy often focus on building trust, representing boundaries, improving communication and mastering new skills. Clients enjoy some time outside of the treatment center and horses gain some beneficial interaction out of the deal too.
Dr. Yelvington’s approach
Healing Hearts’ Recovery Model is all about sinking in. Taking the time to truly connect on a deeper and more authentic level requires a relaxing of the ego, and allowing ourselves to settle into a more present moment awareness.
The process of recovery is one of dismemberment for the sake of remembering. It is a journey towards discovering one’s wholeness.
A deep engagement with horses can support this journey towards remembering our wholeness by providing the awesome experience of acceptance, connection, and union.
All in a days work
Clinical research and personal experiences alike highlight the unique ability of horses to help individuals break through emotional barriers—without fear of shame or stigma. This is especially impactful for those coping with the lasting effects of trauma. In equine-assisted therapy, horses often act as mirrors or metaphors for the people, relationships, and challenges clients face in their lives.
Guided by a licensed mental health professional and a skilled equine specialist, these sessions harness the horse’s natural sensitivity to human body language and non-verbal cues. The horse’s intuitive responses create a safe, non-judgmental space that often leads to deep emotional breakthroughs and lasting personal insight.
Meet Our Equine Specialist
People often ask Dr. Dawn Yelvington how she came to incorporate horses into her clinical practice. With over two decades of experience in traditional therapy and deep expertise in trauma and relational healing, her transition into equine-assisted psychotherapy was a natural evolution—rooted in her belief that healing is most powerful when it engages the whole person: mind, body, and spirit.
Dr. Yelvington, PhD, LMFT, and Qualified Supervisor, has spent 19+ years walking alongside individuals navigating challenges such as trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, and addiction. Her work with veterans and other adult populations has revealed time and again the limits of talk therapy alone—and the transformative power that experiential therapy can unlock. Horses, with their acute sensitivity and nonjudgmental presence, offer clients something truly profound: a mirror into themselves and a pathway to emotional clarity without words.
Based in Central Florida, Dr. Yelvington provides both private practice and telehealth sessions in DeLand, as well as individual and group equine-assisted psychotherapy in Pierson. Certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), she brings a trauma-informed lens to every interaction and blends multiple approaches—Solution-Focused, Person-Centered, Cognitive Behavioral, and Experiential—into an integrative model that meets each client where they are.
Her work is rooted in the conviction that therapy should empower—not label—clients. Whether in the office or in the field with horses, Dr. Yelvington creates a safe, supportive environment where individuals are encouraged to embrace self-awareness, develop self-acceptance, and cultivate the courage to face life’s difficulties with confidence.
For Dr. Yelvington, equine therapy is more than a modality—it’s an invitation to reconnect with one’s inner self through connection, reflection, and the quiet wisdom of the horse.
Experience Real Recovery.
We treat a wide range of addiction and behavioral health conditions including dual diagnosis, drug addiction and alcoholism. We accept most insurance carriers.
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