Full course description
Title: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: Not Just Horsin’ Around
Presented By: Linda Richards, MSW, LCSW
Program #: 27413
Date(s): Thursday, October 8, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:15 PM, Central Time
Format: Live Interactive Webinar, Synchronous Distance Learning
Location: Online
CE Credit Awarded: 3 [General] CE Credits
Total Minutes of Educational Instruction: 180 Minutes
Fee: $59; fee collected at registration includes attendance for the training and CE certificate issuance
Agenda:
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM (90 minutes)
· Introductions
· What is Eagala
o Standards
o Member Survey
· What is equine assisted psychotherapy
o Why horses
o Benefits
· EAP – Who does what, when, and how
o The Mental Health Professional
o The Equine Specialist Professional
o The Equines
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM – BREAK
2:45 PM– 4:15 PM (90 minutes)
· Roles of the Team
o Team approach
o Facilitation
o Mental Health Professional
o Equine Specialist Professional
o Horses
· But what does it really look like?
o Interactive demonstration via video
o Client experiences
· Questions/Close
Speaker Bio: Linda Richards, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 30 years of experience supporting individuals and families across a wide range of needs. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri–Columbia in 1998 and has built a career grounded in compassion, clinical skill, and a deep commitment to healing.
Linda’s professional background spans work with older adults, Hospice care, individuals with developmental disabilities, children and adolescents, survivors of trauma, youth with sexually assaultive behaviors, clients navigating eating disorders, those in residential treatment settings, and military families and veterans. This breadth of experience allows her to meet clients with understanding, flexibility, and a trauma‑informed perspective.
In addition to her clinical work, Linda is an LCSW licensure supervisor, providing guidance, mentorship, and professional development to emerging social workers as they grow in competence and confidence. She has also conducted online and in‑person trainings on a wide range of mental‑health topics, sharing her expertise with professionals, community organizations, and multidisciplinary teams.
Since 2012, Linda has owned and operated Horses Healing Hearts, LLC, where she integrates equine‑assisted psychotherapy with traditional in‑office therapeutic approaches. Her practice reflects her belief in the powerful connection between humans and animals, and her dedication to creating a safe, supportive environment for growth and emotional well‑being.
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the experiential treatment model of equine-assisted psychotherapy.
2. Summarize the findings of a recent outcome study conducted by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (Eagala).
3. Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of each member of the equine-assisted psychotherapy team.
4. Identify the four essential components of equine-assisted psychotherapy.
Description: This presentation provides mental health practitioners with a comprehensive introduction to the Eagala Model, a globally standardized, evidence-based modality for equine-assisted psychotherapy. Grounded in experiential psychology, cognitive-behavioral principles, and systemic theory, the Eagala framework operates exclusively on the ground and utilizes an integrated team approach, uniting a licensed Mental Health Professional, a qualified Equine Specialist, and horses as equal partners in the therapeutic process. Participants will discover how this client-centered, experiential modality leverages the intuitive, non-judgmental nature of horses to reflect real-time emotional dynamics and generate powerful metaphors. Participants will leave with a foundational understanding of how to integrate this solution-focused, highly engaging model into their practice to effectively address trauma, anxiety, addiction, and relational challenges.
Target Audience: Social Workers, Counselors, and/or other Mental Health Professionals
Accreditations:
Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH)
The University of Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH), Professional Training Center, will be responsible for this program and will maintain a record of your continuing education credits earned.
MIMH awards 3 clock hour(s) or 3.6 contact hour(s) (.36 CEUs), including 0 clock hour(s) towards ethics, 0 clock hour(s) towards suicide prevention, and 0 clock hour(s) towards cultural competency, for this program.
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6339. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. MIMH is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Participants completing this program may receive 3 NBCC clock hour(s).
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) ACE
University of Missouri - St. Louis, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Professional Training Center, provider number: 1880, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: September 5, 2025 – September 5, 2028. Social workers completing this course receive [3] [General] continuing education credits.
Accommodations Policy: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact MIMH, Professional Training Center in writing at conferences@mimh.edu , as early as possible to request reasonable accommodations, such as ASL interpreters, alternate format materials, and map of accessible features.
Grievance Policy for UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center:
Complaints about Course Content, Speakers, Facilities, Nonreceipt of Certificates, Miscellaneous:
UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center, is committed to providing quality professional continuing education trainings. If you experience dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided, the course content, speakers, facilities used, certificates or nonreceipt of certificates, etc., please email conferences@mimh.edu to notify UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center of your grievance. UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center CE Director, Kelly Gregory ( kelly.gregory@mimh.edu ) and Social Work Consultant, Megan Galmiche ( megan.galmiche@mimh.edu ) will review the grievance and will provide a response within 10 business days of communication. All grievances and actions taken to resolve the grievance will be documented, kept confidential, and only used to improve future courses.
Refund and/or Cancellation Requests:
If you are unable to attend and/or exhibit, we ask that you notify us as soon as possible at conferences@mimh.edu . Cancellations received in writing 5 business days prior for online programs, and 30 business days prior for in-person programs prior to the date of the program will be refunded, less a processing fee. For registrants, you may send a substitute, but we ask that you notify us in writing of this change at conferences@mimh.edu . If you do not attend or send a substitute, you or your employer will be responsible for the registration fee and/or exhibit fee in full.
Course Completion Requirements:
1. Attend the live webinar by using the Zoom link provided in this course.
2. Submit the online course evaluation.
3. Open the Certificate Module and click the certificate link.
4. Access your Student Dashboard to download your certificate of credit.
All course completion requirements must be completed before a certificate of credit can be accessed. Partial credit will not be awarded.
Deadline to Register: Registrations may be taken up until one hour before the start of the program to allow for time to receive instructions and log in.
System Requirements:
· An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (4G/LTE or 5G)
· Speakers and a microphone – built-in, USB plug-in, or wireless Bluetooth. Participants’ audio and video functionality will initially be off during the webinar. Participants may choose to turn on their own video and/or audio, but are not required to. Participants may type questions in the Q&A or Chat functions in Zoom. The host or speaker will read each question/comment and respond to them during the training.
· A webcam is not required for participants. Participants may choose to turn on their own video and/or audio, but are not required to. The speaker and the host will have their webcam and audio functionality turned on throughout the webinar, so you may see the speaker, host, and slides.
Certificate of Credit:
1. After attending the webinar and submitting the course evaluation, open the Certificate Module and click the certificate link.
2. Click your name in the upper-right corner of the page and select Student Dashboard.
3. Click the Completed tab to view and download your certificate of credit.
4. Save your certificate of credit and any pertinent course information (flyer, brochure, program, schedule, agenda, etc.) for your records.
5. UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center will maintain a record of your attendance and certificate of credit for seven years after the program start date.
Important: Your certificate will not appear in your Student Dashboard until you have submitted the course evaluation and clicked the certificate link within the Certificate Module.
Organization Responsible for Course:
UMSL | Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Professional Training Center
RCEW Building
8225 Florissant Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63121-2020
Website: www.mimhtraining.com
Contact Information: conferences@mimh.edu | 314-516-8419