
About
Explore Therapeutic Supports
Located at Port Macquarie Horse Riding Centre, Explore offers outdoor counselling to children aged 7 and over through to adults.
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We offer on site group and private programs as well as school and workplace based programs. We have delivered our wellbeing program in an ongoing capacity to local schools since 2023.
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This mode of Therapy is an approved NDIS support. Providing counselling in nature alongside our equine friends & challenging traditional mental health interventions, Kody will craft a program to suit each participant. This program is delivered by a registered mental health worker, therapy assistants and support workers.

Experience
Our Experience
Our team at Explore Therapeutic Supports has a wealth of experience in providing therapeutic support services. We are dedicated to offering effective and innovative counseling and mental health interventions in a natural and unique setting.
Qualifications
Qualifications include a Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Communications, and Graduate Diploma in counselling. Having studied with the Equine Psychotherapy Institute, I’m a fully trained practitioner in equine assisted psychotherapy.
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Currently working in mental health locally as a Psychosocial Recovery Coach. Kody-Leigh likes to take a trauma informed, client centred approach, believing the client is the expert in their own story.
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About our Services
What can you offer our clients?
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Counselling in Nature:
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People are connected to and impacted by the natural environment. Being in nature has the ability to ground us, comfort us and calms our nervous system. Being in nature allows us to process difficult feelings in a judgment-free zone, and also supports our emotional regulation. Quite simply, nature is restorative in many ways. Counselling in nature can look like a lot of things, mainly we discuss and work out what feels safe and supportive for you in the session. Instead of having counselling session in a room, we can sit under a tree, watching the horses graze, or sit near the creek listening to the birds and water flow, or even walk around the beautiful gardens and chat.
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Equine Assisted Therapy:
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EAP offers clients the opportunity to step into safe relational experiences with horses to help support them and address therapeutic goals. Being around horses can have profound psychological benefits for humans. Bringing a horse's presence to a therapeutic environment can provide support, regulation and a new perspective. Horses can offer us so much wisdom about how to be. Through EAP clients are invited to explore self-awareness, boundaries, relationship and a sense of grounding.
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Tell us about yourself:
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I like to believe I am a grounded, authentic human, maybe with a few too many coffees fuelling the tank.
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What you are passionate about:
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I am passionate about each individual having the opportunity to holistic wellbeing and living the life they desire. I understand not everyone can control where they came from and the experiences that led them to this point in life but we do have the chance to take control of where we are going. I like exploring the magic in every day moments and I am fortunate to experience that often especially when working along side our equine friends.
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What do you think EAP can do for participants:
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EAP, being fully present in nature and learning from horses can do so much for participants therapeutic goals and recovery / change journey. Each individual participant I believe take what they need, that aligns with their goals from the horses. My role is to walk alongside them in that explorations picking up little pebbles of observation to help build awareness, self-Insight and support along the way.
One of the most magical things I see happen in EAP is that horses have an ability to act as a mirror to our true experience. This comes from the horse’s ability to read body language, and sense slight physiological changes within humans and other horses. Allowing a unique opportunity for participants experience authentic contact (relationship) free of judgment or filters. This then supports our exploration of self-awareness.
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What are some of the topics covered in this program:
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Working towards plan goals
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Counselling in nature
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Anxiety, Depression
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Communication skills
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Regulation
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Awareness
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Tapping into thoughts and feelings
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Relationships
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Facing life’s challenges
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Making friends and connecting with others
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Engaging in group activities
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Communicating with peers
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Situational and self awareness
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Confidence building activities
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Building autonomy
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Building independence
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Behaviour expectations in our environment
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Routine and change
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Following safety rules
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Taking instruction
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Physical fitness
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Outdoor activities
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Responsibility
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Horsemanship
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Some ridden activities
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Group sessions & single sessions
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Individual skill building
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Job readiness skills