Equine-Assisted Therapy Whangārei
About Us - Meet the Team
About Rosies way
A place for connection, reflection and change
Rosies Way grew from Bronwen’s belief that valuable therapeutic and personal development work does not always need to happen within four walls.
Throughout her career as a psychologist, Bronwen has seen how environment, relationships and practical experiences can influence the way people participate, communicate and understand themselves.
Her connection with horses offered an opportunity to bring these elements together.
Rosies Way combines professional psychological knowledge, thoughtful facilitation, the natural responsiveness of horses and the peaceful Whangārei Heads setting. The result is an approach that feels grounded, engaging and genuinely different.
Meet Bronwen
Bronwen is a registered psychologist specializing in trauma-focused therapy. Her work integrates evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), allowing clients to develop practical coping strategies while fostering deeper psychological flexibility and resilience. Her approach is compassionate, non-judgmental, and tailored to each individual’s unique experiences and goals.
A distinctive aspect of Bronwen’s practice is the incorporation of trauma informed equine-assisted therapy. Working alongside horses, clients are offered an experiential way to build trust, regulate emotions, and reconnect with themselves in a safe and grounded environment. This modality is particularly effective for those who may find traditional talk therapy challenging or are ready for experiential learning.
Bronwen is committed to creating a supportive and collaborative therapeutic space where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered to move toward meaningful change.
Bronwen is a Registered psychologist with experience across 20 years of psychological and rehabilitation work.
Her professional background includes work within DHB and healthcare settings, rehabilitation programmes, Employee Assistance Programme services, group facilitation and programme development and trauma informed treatment. She also provides individual psychology services under ACC Sensitive Claims treatment.
Bronwen’s approach is warm, practical and respectful. She understands that people arrive with different experiences, comfort levels and reasons for attending. Her role is not to force a particular response, but to create the structure and safety in which useful experiences, observations and conversations can emerge.
In her work with groups and organisations, Bronwen combines her psychological knowledge with skilled facilitation. This allows sessions to remain enjoyable and approachable while still having a clear purpose and professional foundation.
Bronwen’s professional details
- Registered Psychologist, New Zealand Psychologists Board (23AHUF)
- Member of New Zealand Psychological Society
- DAPAANZ Reg supervisor
- Equine Interaction Experience™ Practitioner (EIEP)
Meet Sarah
Sarah is a NZ registered occupational therapist who has worked in a variety of settings. This has included working for many years with Sensitive Claims ACC clients which has often focused on working in a trauma informed manner with clients to increase exposure whilst applying strategies to manage symptoms. These skills along with her years of experience working with horses provides a prominent benefit to the groups.
She has over 30 years’ experience working with and owning her own horses which has enabled her to develop an understanding of equine behaviour and equine communication. Her work is grounded in a deep respect for the horses and belief that effective horsemanship begins with noticing and listening to the horses.
She brings to the group the skills of understanding horses’ boundaries and how these are communicated. She has in depth knowledge of herd dynamics and a well-rounded perspective on what horses need to feel safe, confident, and understood. This brings essential knowledge for group participants to draw on, along with safety.
Over the years, Sarah has continued to expand her skills through ongoing education and collaboration with other professionals, and a dedication to ethical, evidence informed practice. Sarah has enhanced her skills by completing a certificate to become and Equine Interaction Experience Practitioner.
Sarah's professional details
- NZ Registered Occupational Therapist- (05-02705)
- Equine Interaction Experience™ Practitioner (EIEP)
- First Aid Certificate 10/02/26 – Level 2 (Hato Hone St John)
Why “Rosies way”?
Rosie is a Kaimanawa that came out of the ranges as a three-month-old with her mom Autumn. Bronwen purchased her about three years ago when she was six years old.
When I set out to create an equine assisted therapy space, I knew I didn’t want it to be just another program. I wanted it to feel like a sanctuary - a place where people could slow down, breathe, reconnect, and feel genuinely safe. And the moment I looked at Rosie, my little pony with the soft eyes and sleepy sighs, I realised the way forward had already been shown to me.
Rosie isn’t just a pony. She’s a presence.
She moves through the world with a kind of gentle wisdom: chilled, connected, calm, and always ready to lean in for scratches or a good butt rub. She doesn’t rush. She doesn’t judge. She simply is - grounded, peaceful, and open. And in her company, people soften. They exhale. They find themselves settling into the same rhythm she offers so naturally.
That rhythm became the heart of my practice.
Rosie’s Way is named after her because she embodies everything I want this work to stand for. Her way is:
- Slow and steady - reminding us healing doesn’t need to be hurried.
- Present and connected - showing how powerful it is to simply be with another being.
- Calm and comforting - offering safety through softness rather than force.
- Authentic - she shows up exactly as she is, sleepy eyes and all.
- Affectionate - she teaches that touch, trust, and gentle connection matter.
Rosies Way is more than a name. It’s a philosophy. A promise. A tribute to a pony who quietly models the kind of emotional landscape so many of us are searching for.
Every session, every interaction, every moment here is guided by the essence of Rosie herself - her calm, her kindness, her connection, her sleepy serenity, and yes, her absolute delight in scratches and butt rubs.
Rosie showed me the way. Now I help others find theirs.
Meet our equine team
Our horses are not tools or props. They are respected members of the Rosies Way team, each bringing a different personality, presence and way of responding to people.
Participants are never expected to make a horse behave in a particular way. Instead, Bronwen helps them remain curious about what they notice, how they respond and what the interaction might help them understand.
