Sarah Schlote

Independent Scholar · EQUUSOMA / Equuscience / Private Practice

All mammals have a nervous system that regulates stress and an innate drive towards attachment and connection. Not surprisingly, understanding attachment dynamics is a core component of trauma therapy and couples therapy, and is fundamental to improving relationships and communication patterns in humans. But what about between people and their pets...

Individuals who have faced trauma, adversity and early attachment ruptures are often drawn to alternative approaches in their quest for healing and recovery. This is particularly true for the field of animal-assisted interventions, where the human-animal bond offers an appealing and powerful opportunity to work through past and current challenges....

EQUUSOMA™ is the integration of Somatic Experiencing®, polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and trauma-informed principles into equine-assisted trauma recovery. Grounded primarily in the work of Dr. Peter Levine and Dr. Stephen Porges, along with other trauma experts, therapists, ethologists and equine behaviourists, it recognizes the impact of str...

EQUUSOMA is an integrative approach to equine-facilitated trauma treatment for humans, which integrates principles of trauma-informed care with attachment theory, ego state work, and touch work, along with theory and practices from Somatic Experiencing®. The principles upon which this approach is founded have useful applications not only for the fi...

All mammals have a nervous system, a unique personality, species and sex-related traits, sensory perception systems, a drive to bond and socialize, and a set of life experiences - including environmental conditions - which affect development and coping. We are similar in our differences, while at the same time demonstrating alikeness that is imposs...

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and equine-assisted therapy/learning (EAT/L) are innovative techniques in counselling, psychotherapy, mental health, coaching, and other personal growth interventions. Although this field has experienced tremendous growth in the United States, very little is known about its Canadian equivalent. The purpose of this stud...