There are a lot of therapy providers in Omaha, but a local ranch is helping people heal in a different way.
A peaceful family ranch in Gretna, Spirit Horse Ranch provides equine-assisted therapy to Omaha residents, helping them process trauma, heal emotional wounds, and experience powerful self growth.
Executive Director Kris Tevis has worked in the mental health field since 1999 in hospital and outpatient settings, and she’s convinced that horses can help individuals, groups, and families find healing, hope, and lasting change in ways that some forms of traditional therapy can’t.
“When (clients) go into the arena with the horse, that vulnerability shines through and it’s almost immediate,” Tevis said. “You see a different kind of child or a different kind of adult walk in. They shed that hard exterior because the horse forces it out of you.
“Flint is 1200 pounds and if he wanted to, he could do some damage. But he doesn’t want to. Kind of building that immediate relationship with him makes you shed that exterior and makes you ready to address those emotions.”
Modern use of horses for mental health treatments date back to the 1990s, but the results in recent years are showing some very positive trends. Equine-assisted therapy is not intended to replace therapy sessions with a human, but work alongside them to maximize restoration and healing.
That freedom is something Tevis, who grew up with horses playing a prominent role in her life, has experienced personally.
“I feel like there were a couple of times in my life where horses saved me,” Tevis said. “That connection with them, where we don’t speak the same language, but they just know.”
Horses are incredibly perceptive animals, capable of responding to subtle cues and emotions in humans. Their natural behavior and herd dynamics provide rich metaphors for clients to explore their life experiences.
Spirit Horse Ranch provides Omaha with several programs, including Trauma Focused Therapy, Team Building, and Healing & Discovery. Individuals or groups work with Tevis and fellow mental health professional Lindsay Stayton to develop relationships with the ranch’s horses in a safe supportive environment to help process emotions, build confidence, and rediscover hope.
Not only are horses uniquely equipped to read human emotions, but their sheer size brings down the barriers many people have to typical therapy.
“It puts people in a very vulnerable position,” Tevis said. “They are kind of intimidating animals. They’re not like a dog or cat where they’re soft and fluffy and sit on the couch with you. They make you work for that relationship and they pick up when you’re being consistent with your verbal communication and your real emotions.”
