Berkman Academy
.png)
Berkman Academy
Equine-Assisted Therapy for schools and community groups
Support that doesn’t look like therapy, but feels like change.
At Berkman Academy, we work with participants who’ve shut down, checked out, or are struggling to engage.​ Helped by nature, movement and horses, participants learn to connect, in an authentic, safe and confident way.
What we offer
We deliver equine-assisted wellbeing programs for:
​
-
Primary and secondary students
-
At-risk or disengaged youth
-
Neurodivergent young people (ASD, ADHD, PDA)
-
Youth in alternative education settings
-
Community groups, carers, and trauma survivors
Our programs are experiential, strengths-based, and emotionally attuned.
They’re about helping people feel safe enough to show up again, to themselves, to others, and to life.
For Schools
We offer:
-
One-off excursions
-
Term-based group programs (6–8 weeks)
-
Tailored support for individual students (NDIS-funded)
Skills we build:
-
Emotional regulation
-
Self-awareness and agency
-
Communication and confidence
-
Respect, boundaries, and teamwork
-
Connection with nature and others
-
Curriculum-aligned outcomes available on request.
Progress notes and attendance tracking included. -
Programs can be delivered during or after school hours.
For Non-Profits and Community Groups
We partner with organisations to create accessible, and culturally safe programs for:
-
Carers
-
Women’s groups
-
Youth justice or child protection clients
-
Survivors of family violence
-
Refugee and migrant communities
Program types:
-
Group wellbeing days
-
Short-term therapeutic programs
-
Outdoor group processing without the pressure of sharing stories
We understand the funding landscape.
We’ll work with your budget, your outcomes, and your people.
Why horses?
Horses respond to energy, not words.
They show us how we show up.
That’s why they work so well with people who’ve been let down by traditional support systems.
They offer feedback without judgement. They hold space without asking questions. And they model safety, presence, and emotional honesty, just by being themselves.
