We were lucky to catch up with Jacqui Lauko recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jacqui, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Entering into a field that is experiential (not research-based) was a huge risk. Investing several thousands of dollars in an equine-assisted therapy certification along with $1000 in liability insurance annually. Not to mention the 1000lb horses which cost a fortune to feed and maintain (they are like children). I did all of this in 2010! I didn’t even have any equine clients lined up or even a job that would let me do EAP once I gained licensure. I knew in my soul that I would be successful and I just had to “suck it up” to make it happen. I am a dreamer and I had visions of myself practicing successfully in this field so when I took this risk I had no hesitations at all! That is one of the few times in my life I knew 100% without a doubt I could make this work. This had been my dream since I was a teenager (or longer so my mother says….). I have always been a risk taker, especially being an ADHDer. LOL. However, this has proven to be the best risk I have ever taken because it has given me the wonderful career or I call it more of a “calling” I have now. We have successfully been able to treat various clients who don’t respond well to traditional therapy. Most of my first clients are adults now leading successful lives free of anxiety or the struggles they came to therapy to overcome. I am aware of this because they send me updates or graduation announcements! I am honored to have those updates because as a counselor we are unable to have a personal relationship with a past client so we can’t maintain contact after discharge.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I started out as a board member of the Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program in college. Helping a therapeutic riding program wasn’t enough for me so I went on to get my master’s degree in counseling so I could go a step further. As I did that I worked as a special needs para educator and helped to design an inclusive program for children with Autism so they weren’t just stuck in a self-contained classroom. I moved to AZ where this type of experiential therapy flourishes and I started my practice after rounding in a psychiatric hospital to get my “hours” in the field. I am currently a licensed professional counselor, a national certified counselor, and a board-approved clinical supervisor. I teach my model of EAP/EAL called The Icarus Model™ around the US and recently Australia. I am honored to be able to pass my passion to others and help promote awareness of how to partner with horses in therapy and give them a choice to participate. I see animals and humans as equals so the horses have just as many rights as the clients do. We are a cutting-edge agency that strives to help our unique population in a neurodiverse way! We offer individual therapy, group therapy, life coaching, social skills groups, outings, horse yoga, hypnotherapy, retreats, parenting skills, consulting, and certification in The Icarus Model™ of equine-assisted psychotherapy. We will do whatever our clients need to be successful. I have even hired certain guests for my group therapy and Autism program to meet the needs of the current clients. We have had personal trainers, horse yoga instructors, sound healing instructors, bird therapy, swim therapy, face your fears series, self-defense trainers, and a DJ. I also run a career day where I hire providers to come and talk about what they do for a living which lines up with what my clients are interested in, so they can ask questions and see if it is a good fit! The DJ came for 2 clients interested in becoming one, and the DJ ended up taking on one of my clients as her intern! I have seen so many positive outcomes with my clients that I can’t ever see myself retiring as I love this life. I say life because this isn’t just a job for me. It is my life! I only have 1 intern and 1 employee right now because it takes me a year to train my new employees to ensure they are a good fit and have the skills to offer this upper-level therapy. I also must ensure they are Empaths and can read our clients very well to help them! We work with children and young adults, so they must have the skills to read non-verbal cues and adjust themselves to what the client needs. I want people to know we go above and beyond and will get results!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Since 2010 I have been building my name in the field. I have attended various trainings and really put myself out there. I have mentored some of the best practitioners and spent hours reading various books. I have listened to many podcasts and have reached out to some of the most successful EAP/EAL practitioners in the world. I was so humbled that many of these “world-renowned” people took my calls!! I made it a point to introduce myself and present on EAP to many psychiatrists, therapists, and psychologists in this field. I have offered professional clinics to show others how EAP can benefit their clientele. I have also conducted trainings at local schools where I present the benefits of EAP. I have taken on clients who no other therapists in the area would accept (per the parent’s report). In these cases, I would consult with others, take specific trainings, and read books to help them! I have been honored to have been able to discharge these clients effectively in many cases. Discharging means they can lead healthy, happy lives free of the concerns they entered into treatment with. Sometimes we have to branch out and spend more time thinking outside of the box in order to help someone! Humans don’t do well with cookie-cutter approaches so it takes time and energy to join with someone and then retrain their brain and nervous system to function better. Client referrals are one of the biggest referral sources for us and it is an honor someone enjoyed our services enough to refer us out! We are blessed with a waitlist throughout the year which means we are in high demand.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
The most inspirational book I have read was Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT) by Rise Van Fleet. She is an amazing human being with so much respect for animals and the field of AAPT! She even runs a free social media group for therapists. My mentors were Linda Kohanov, Beth Stoddard & Shawn Rodrigues. These practitioners either helped me at a clinic or mentored me in person. I was lucky to have their support and guidance when I first started. I will always honor them as the amazing practitioners and humans they are. Recently, I have had the pleasure of training with Jen Pagone who has proven to be an effective trainer in what we call “Parts Work.” Dr. Susan Fay has been tremendously helpful in healing some of the traumas my horses have encountered before coming to live with me. She is an amazing human being who has so much to offer others in the horse community. I also use some of her practices and techniques in my therapy. She has truly changed my life and her book Sacred Spaces will always have a place in my heart!
Contact Info:
- Website: skyetherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icarusmodel1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skyetherapy1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ9HmKxPNFYB0Q4SOLUSl5w
Image Credits
Ginger Turner, Eric Von Bargen, Erin Perre