Life Aspire Counselling and Equine Assisted Therapy
EquineTiaki Practitioner Training
A unique opportunity to join a training experience delivered in person, over three modules, to support the development of equine assisted therapy skills. This training has been developed for mental health practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand, who wish to practice in a unique modality of equine assisted therapy. The approach includes an integrative model with a Te Ao Māori perspective.
Dates: September, October and November 2025. Email c_wilkinson@xtra.co.nz for further details.
About Me...
I'm Chris Wilkinson, I began working as a certified counsellor from 2000. I provide therapy to support recovery from trauma, anxieties, depression, and to support self esteem and personal growth. I work in a unique setting in North Canterbury, Aotearoa, that supports engagement with nature and I'm proud to have five equine partners, who assist with equine assisted therapy. My approach includes a person centred philosophy, that supports an individual to identify their own unique strengths and abilities. My background includes working in eating disorder services and child and adolescent mental health. As well as working with adults, I really enjoy working with children and teenagers; supporting our rangatahi to identify their unique strengths and skills, explore ways to navigate their difficulties and to provide a setting where they feel heard, seen and understood.
Effective Therapy Services
I am able to provide several approaches to therapy, that includes EMDR and Equine Assisted Therapy. I also provide supervision to therapists and counsellors.
Equine Assisted Therapy
Awareness and being accompanied..
Equine assisted therapy can provide support for increasing awareness, identifying patterns that no longer support or serve us well and exploring new ways of being with self and other. Being with the horses can invite and support emotional regulation and ways to access a sense of calm. Horses provide a very real opportunity to explore our boundaries with others. This therapy is not horse riding, but therapeutic experiences, that occur alongside these beautiful and dignified equine partners.
EMDR therapy
Addressing Trauma, Anxiety and Depression and more...
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy is an evidenced based approach that can be very supportive for integrating past trauma and supporting an individual with future possibilities. This link has some useful information: https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/
