Equine-Assisted DBt and Trauma Treatment

We are thrilled to partner with Mane Stream, in Oldwick NJ, to provide psychotherapy that includes equine interactions! Located in beautiful Hunterdon County, it is easily accessible from Northern and Central NJ and NYC.

Equine-assisted DBT combines the evidence-based principles of DBT with the presence of horses in a therapeutic, non-traditional setting. DBT focuses on teaching individuals skills to manage complex emotions and regulate behavior, develop interpersonal effectiveness skills, build skills to more effectively tolerate distress, and incorporate mindfulness. EA-DBT groups have fall and spring cycles, and follow standard DBT group structure: mindfulness, homework review, skills teaching, plus experiential activities with equine interactions to further skill generalization.

Including horses into trauma treatment, such as Prolonged Exposure, is also incredibly beneficial, and can help with: facilitating emotional processing, promoting self-awareness, providing the opportunity for metaphorical reflection, allowing oneself to build connection and learn to trust oneself in new experiences and environments, setting boundaries and promoting healthy attachment patterns, building confidence and mastery, and increasing body awareness and mindfulness skills.

Liz Johnson and Lizzy Ellman also offer equine-assisted DBT Skills groups for both teens and adults, and enrollment is ongoing, meaning participants can join at the start of new modules. Please email liz@thebtcollective.com or lizzy@ellmanpsychological.com, or by calling 551-264-1014, for more information about enrollment.

Liz completed the University of Denver Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy post-graduate certificate program for Licensed Mental Health Psychotherapists in August 2025, and Lizzy is currently enrolled. Liz and Lizzy are currently developing a manual for EA-DBT.