Kelly Zorn

How Equine Therapy Can Help Police Officers with PTSD

For police officers and first responders, the job often means running toward danger when everyone else is running away. Over time, the daily exposure to stressful and traumatic events can leave deep emotional scars. Even when off duty, it can feel impossible to switch off, relax, or feel truly safe.

 

Some officers carry trauma that has built up gradually over years of service—a slow burn of stress, sleepless nights, and witnessing human suffering. Others experience a single critical incident that shakes them to the core: the violent crime scene, the loss of a colleague, or a situation where everything changed in an instant. Both paths can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or a sense of numbness and disconnection.

 

It’s not uncommon for officers to put on a brave face and keep going, believing they need to be “tough” or that asking for help is a sign of weakness. But the truth is, these responses are not weakness—they are the brain and body’s way of coping with overwhelming situations.

 

Equine-assisted therapy offers you a very different way to heal. Instead of sitting in a room and talking about what happened, you can join me in a calm, outdoor space and work alongside me and my horses. You don’t need horse experience, and we don’t include any riding. And if you’re not familiar or are a little nervous being around horses they can be in the paddock, and you don’t have to be close to them at all.  As your confidence grows, we can work together to bring them into your session, which might include gentle activities like grooming, leading, or simply being present with the horse.

equine therapy for police NSW, Wollongong, South Coast

 

Horses are incredibly intuitive animals, and non-judgemental of us. They sense tension, fear, and even subtle changes in your breathing or posture. When you’re anxious, they notice. When you begin to calm, they respond in kind and this feedback helps you tune into your emotions and body in a way that feels safe and supported.

 

For many first responders, this process provides something they haven’t felt in years: space to breathe and let go of the constant need to stay on guard. You don’t have to put on a brave face for a horse. You don’t have to explain yourself or relive every detail of your trauma. Instead, you can reconnect with yourself at your own pace.

 

Whether your struggles come from years on the front line or a single traumatic incident, equine therapy can help you process these experiences in a gentle, grounded way. It can be the first step in moving from survival mode toward healing and peace.

If you’re a police officer or first responder ready to explore a new path to recovery, equine assisted therapy could help you find your footing again. 

 

Contact me on via email or mobile and let’s take the first step to a happier you.

Kelly on ceremonial duties as a mounted police officer.

therapy for post traumatic stress disorder
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