The Latest News at
Stable Surroundings
November 2025
Guest Speaker Role
Promoting Horse Aid
and Defining ‘Equine Assisted Therapy’
I was honoured to be a guest speaker at the recent screening of the Horse Aid Documentary of ‘The Healing’, hosted by Branxton Community hall, and sponsored by Branxton RSL Sub-Branch.
Co presenting with the Director of Horse Aid, Betty McKellar (ex Mounted Police Officer) and Peta Lowe of Pegasus Connections (fellow Equine Assisted Therapist and lived experience as part of the Defence Family)
The theme was about promoting Mental Health & Well-being, and presented as a perfect opportunity to enlighten the community about Equine Assisted Therapy.
Equine Assisted Therapy integrates evidence-based psychological and medical models with experiential horsemanship/psycho-social activities to promote emotional well-being, connection and resilience.
Equine Assisted Therapy, falls in the middle - bridging the gap between traditional therapies and psycho-social approaches, and other horse related well-being offerings (such as Horse Aid).
Horse Aid offers free ‘One-Day’ and 5 Day Residential offerings, for Veterans and First-Responders and is primarily a horse training program, designed to offer well-being experience through connection with other veterans and a therapeutic environment, of being around horses.
As a charity with no government funding, Horse Aid relies on donations to provide these services. Please visit the Horse Aid website for dates to attend, or for further information about making donations.
Stable Surroundings as Guest speaker, promoting HorseAid whilst also enlightening the community to Equine Assisted Therapy - Singleton - Co-speaking with Peta Lowe of Pegasus Connections, and Betty McKellar - Director of Horse Aid
Who Am I ?
What a great question, to dive into our Identity,
who are we, who were we before, what made us who we are today?
In this podcast, you’ll get to meet the face behind Stable Surroundings, Jodie, the Veteran who became an Equine Assisted Therapist, the story of resilience and re-invention.
September 2025
Jodie from Stable Surroundings - Equine Assisted Therapy - Singleton, tells her story in a podcast.
Watch the interview on YouTube
or Listen on Spotify
The Tiger Jam Podcast interview was conducted by Stephan Neuwerk, from Easy Tiger Psychology, based in Charlestown, NSW specialising in EMDR.
June 2025
Group Sessions for Veterans and Defence members - an ‘Introduction to Equine Assisted Therapy’
Sponsored by Soldier On
Three of these Group sessions, of up to 8 people, are being hosted by Stable Surroundings, at the Singleton Location, providing an ‘Introduction to Equine Assisted Therapy’.
And in collaboration with Seen and Herd,
another three Group sessions are being hosted at Kulnura (Central Coast).
You’ll meet both Tash and myself at all 6 groups, from June to November 2025.
Dates:
Central Coast - Friday 20 Jun 2025 (Completed)
Singleton - Tuesday 8 July 2025 (Completed)
Central Coast - Friday 15 Aug 2025 (Completed)
Singleton - Tuesday 30 Sep 2025 (Booked out)
Central Coast - Friday 10 Oct 2025
Singleton - Tuesday 4 Nov 2025
Bookings are being managed by Soldier On through their Tri-Booking Link.
Click on the dates above, and refer to the calendar…
Double check it landed on the correct dates.
Stable Surroundings are Proud to be an approved practitioner as part of this important collaboration
With the pilot set to commence mid 2025, Stable Surroundings will be available for bookings for specifically referred clients through Workcom and TAL to partake in a well designed 12-session program aimed at improving the well-being of clients who are currently off work due to their mental health challenges.
The research side of this project is extremely important in promoting the benefits of the Equine Assisted Therapy services, with TAL and Workcom leading the way to a promising future.
As an graduate of Equine Assisted Therapy Australia (EATA) RTO no:41482, qualified through an Australian Counselling Association (ACA) accredited Diploma of Counselling and Certified Equine Assisted Mental Health Practitioner, I am proud to be equipped to deliver the ‘EATA Model’ 12-Session program.
May 2025
Animal Therapies LTD - Member Spotlight
Stable Surroundings was recently featured as a ‘Member Spotlight’ by Animal Therapies LTD (ATL).
Stable Surroundings are listed as an approved provider of Equine Assisted Therapy in the ATL National Directory, which makes this service eligible to be involved in the ATL Mental Health Outreach Program.
This means, any person making an application through ATL for assistance with funding to seek help via a series of sessions, can choose us from the directory to provide the service.
This honour allows me to mention what a wonderful organisation they are, in service to the wider community.
Not only have they created a National Directory to find appropriate services within your area, the money raised from donations is directly transferred into funding for vulnerable people to access up to 6 sessions with a practitioner of their choice from the directory.
You’ll see them mentioned on my FAQ’s page, recommended as a worthy cause for donations. Visit: Animal Therapies LTD
February 2025
It was extremely humbling, and an encouraging surprise, to be recognised in this way by the Equine Assisted Therapy Australia community.
As I embark on this journey of offering Equine Assisted Support Services in 2025, I feel encouraged that I’m heading in the right direction.
As the saying goes: Believe that what you do matters and will make a difference in peoples lives. Even if it’s just one person, you’ve changed their world - or make a difference to the world, one person at a time.