Meet Erin Perre, Mc, Ncc, Lac | Animal Assisted Psychotherapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Perre, Mc, Ncc, Lac and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Horses are magic. I have always been drawn to them and have always been mezmorized by their ability to provide a healing space for anyone and everyone. I love that horses can’t lie, won’t lie, and provide a truly loving, nonjudgmental space to process. I had always been interested in helping others, so when the career of combining therapy with horses presented itself to me I was all for it! I spent many years in the equine industry doing things from carriage driving to running trail rides at youth camps to managing volunteers & teaching lessons at a children’s home. In a time when I wasn’t sure what direction I was going to go, I found Skye Therapy Solutions and began my training to become an equine assisted psychotherapist! I started my masters in counseling in August of 2021 and graduated in December 2023. I am now a Licensed Associate Counselor at Skye Therapy Solutions and absolutely love what we do. We specialize in anxiety, ADHD, and autism. I am currently going through different trainings to become specialized in grief therapy as that is what I am most passionate about. My dream is to have a practice that provides animal assisted psychotherapy specializing in grief & loss. Though I am a new counselor, I am extremely passionate about the working with my clients and have already gotten to witness first hand the healing power horses have in the therapeutic process.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a licensed associate counselor in the world of equine assisted psychotherapy. I currently specialize in grief, anxiety, adhd and autism. My hope for the future is to open a practice that offers bereavement therapy & retreats where animals & nature are the center of healing. My therapy modalities consist of somatic experiencing, play therapy, IFS, mindfulness and person-centered therapy. What I love about my job is that everyday is totally different and working with animals to promote nervous system regulation is so rewarding!
When I think back through my story, it makes me extremely grateful for all of the wonderful and challenging experiences I have had to lead me to becoming a therapist. It was far from easy. I feel like my journey has taken me through many twists and turns, some for the better and some were painful. But I truly value each river and road I’ve had to cross to get here! I am thankful I have had an amazing support system within my family to be there with me through the challenges. If I didn’t have them, I truly don’t know if I would be who I am today or where I am today.
I am extremely passionate about helping others better understand themselves, find ways to cope with the hard things we face in life, and doing it all alongside my 4 legged co-therapists. I truly feel called to help others and know that horses can offer the deepest & most intimate form of healing. I have always been interested in grief & loss therapy, but I gained a deeper understanding and passion for this area after I lost two family members within a week of each other in 2022. Both losses were wildly different and the process of my own healing was dynamic & complex. I hope to offer a safe space for healing for my future clients that want to process through their own grief & loss. I am so excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to be able to witness first hand all the healing my future clients will be able to experience alongside horses!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Arizona! I have lived here my whole life. My favorite spots include:
The Olive Mill- best gelato around and you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu!!
Joes BBQ- hands down best bbq on the planet.
Baci- incredible traditional Italian food. They catered my wedding and many of my husbands family events throughout his childhood so it is a staple in our household
Saguaro Lake Ranch Stables- looking for a trail ride? This place takes excellent care of their horses and the sights are to die for!!
Superstition Mountains- for my outdoorsy peeps, the superstitions are the most beautiful mountains to explore.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My grandma, Lois Roma-Deeley, and my God Mother, Marianne Roccaforte-Gardner, are my biggest inspirations. My grandma just got nationally recognized as one of the 2024 Poet Laureates in the United States. My god mother has a career in counseling for the Maricopa Community Colleges and is a huge reason why I chose to join the counseling field. Without them, I would not be who I am today.

Website: https://Skyetherapy.com

Instagram: @essentiallyequineaz

Facebook: @essentiallyequineaz

Image Credits
Jamie Graham
Erin Perre