We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacqui Lauko, MC, NCC, LPC and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacqui, what do you attribute your success to?
Delivering my brand has been a passion since high school. I’ve always loved helping people and going above and beyond, and as I grew into my role as a licensed counselor practicing equine assisted psychotherapy, I noticed a significant gap in the types of services available in most agencies. When I opened my practice, I started with basic equine-assisted therapy and dog-assisted therapy. Very quickly, I realized that while clients were progressing, they weren’t progressing in all areas—largely because of the high rate of recidivism.

To address this, I began offering intentionally designed therapy groups, and later expanded into retreats and therapeutic outings. Our retreats—three-hour hiking or paddle-boarding sessions—created space for deeper work and stronger therapeutic relationships. The outings allowed me to observe how clients interacted with the general public, giving us real-time clinical insight into what skills needed strengthening.

These services became incredibly popular, and in 2016 we officially expanded. I hired my first two staff members, and we continued building a program that truly supported clients in a comprehensive, nontraditional way. There has been so much learning along the journey, and I remain deeply grateful to every mentor who helped shape this work. I’ve invested significant time, money, and heart into my practice, and I believe that investment is part of what makes it strong.

What I’m noticing today, though, is that many clinicians aren’t investing as much into building sustainable, innovative practices. That’s why my current goal is to educate other private practice owners on best practices and to provide legally drafted practice forms at a fraction of the cost of what an attorney would charge. I want to help clinicians think creatively, build robust and ethical practices, and ultimately strengthen the communities we serve. That is why I started offering consulting in 2020.

What should our readers know about your business?
Jacqueline is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor who uses her own individual model of equine assisted psychotherapy called The Icarus Model®. She currently conducts research with colleagues to show the effectiveness of equine-assisted psychotherapy to improve her practice model. This Agency of 3 clinicians specializes in ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, including mild trauma in children and adults. We are trained in neurodiverse affirmative therapy practices. Each clinician was hand selected and trained 1:1 for a year. Jacqui takes training to the highest level so she meets with clinicians twice a week and shadows sessions to ensure the clinician is meeting the client’s needs and providing a high level of care.

Jacqui has earned certifications in trauma, personal training (2020), clinical hypnosis (2018), Hatha Yoga (2024), Trauma Sensitive Yin Yoga (2025), somatic experiencing (2024), Equid Nexus™ IFS equine engaged parts work (2023 & 2024), Equine body work through Elemental Acupressure (2019), Equine Somatic Pathways™ and EAGALA (2011). She has attended training with the legendary Linda Kohanov (2009 & 2023). Lastly, she earned a certificate in equine behavior from The University of Denver in 2024. Jacqui provides consultation on best practices for treatment centers and private agencies.

Jacqui developed a passion for working with children at a young age. She worked with Autistic children in the North Carolina school system where she helped to design a program for them so they could be integrated with general ed classes. Her dream was to incorporate children with animals as a way to heal from mental illness and life stressors. She is a passionate individual who will go above and beyond for her clients.

Jacqui has been counseling children and young adults in Arizona since 2011, and has been working with horses since 1999. What began as a passion for riding soon evolved into a career through offering riding lessons & training. Since 2004, Jacqui has been a member of several animal rescues and has been studying animal behavior since she was in high school.

When asked was it easy for me to achieve all of this?? Nope! But nothing great is ever achieved without tremendous effort and sacrifice. Growing up with a single mom who did not have a college degree, we had to start working early on which was not a bad thing. I worked full-time while attending my undergraduate program and my graduate program. I worked three jobs up until I was about 34. I don’t regret any of it because it taught me how to work hard and to value what I have.

The lessons I’ve learned along the way have taught me not to focus too much on the money. Nobody becomes a counselor because they want to be rich—we do this work because have a desire to help people. I never imagined I would become this financially stable simply by running a therapy practice, and I am incredibly grateful for that success.

I’ve had so many people supporting me on this journey—my wonderful husband, my therapy animals who have given me emotional grounding, my friends, and my mother, who always believed in me and pushed me to be my best despite our financial setbacks. Their encouragement, along with my passion for this work, has made all the difference.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them on a hike in the superstitions and then take a drive to canyon lake to go boating! I love to go to Temari Sushi in Gilbert. They always have a wait but they are well worth it. Weather permitting, we enjoy horseback riding through various trails we take our horses on.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Most recently, I would like to recognize Dr. Rise VanFleet & Dr. Susan Fay. They have been monumental and developing my understanding of horses, dogs, and therapy! I don’t know where I would be without their mentorship over the past few years. They have given their heart and soul to this practice and I will be forever grateful.

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 Turney with Milestone Memories

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