Ashley Wells Speaks at Community Workshop for Equine Psychotherapy Program

On January 24th and 25th, Senior Lecturer Ashley Wells spoke at a Human-Equine Empowerment and Learning United (HEEAL United) program workshop. A partnership with USU Extension, HEEAL is offering equine facilitated psychotherapy for 18-26-year-old adults with varied diagnoses. At this workshop, Ashley shared her experiences with mental health and horses, drawing from her book The Cowgirl and the Racehorse: A Recovery.

“I was thrilled to be a part of this workshop, and I am looking forward to collaborating with HEEAL in the future,” says Ashley. “Part of what I argue in the book is if we know working with horses helps to empower women and makes them feel strong and confident, then we, as folks in the horse world, need to improve access to these experiences. A program like HEEAL is one of many ways we can do that.”

“In the English Department we are often thinking about community impact and collaboration. Participating in this workshop allowed me to consider the book’s message in different ways, sharing its relevance to folks in my community, which is a special thing to be a part of,” Ashley reflects.

Ashley teaches composition and creative writing at USU. Her book The Cowgirl and The Racehorse: A Recovery explores cowgirl stories, gender, the whitewashing of the West, and power, braiding these subjects together with personal experiences. “One of the most exciting and fulfilling things to come out of publishing the book is a stronger sense of community, and I always appreciate opportunities connect with readers, such as this collaboration with HEEAL,” says Ashley.