In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson sits down with Leana Tank, an occupational therapist from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and an accomplished horsewoman specializing in equine-assisted services and behavioral health. Leana works with individuals at the extreme end of the mental health continuum—people coming from psychiatric hospitals and the criminal justice system, many diagnosed with schizophrenia, cognitive impairments, autism, and complex trauma.

Through her radical acceptance, sensory-based therapy, movement integration, and nature-centered approaches, Leana redefines how we think about healing, trauma, and society's marginalized populations. Her work invites us to reconsider the humanity, sensitivity, and resilience of individuals often deemed "other."

📘 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Meeting the Margins: Understanding Leana's Population (Starts at 02:00)

• Why those labeled as "monsters" are often society's most sensitive souls.
• The profound failures of social support systems and how they shape lives.

Radical Acceptance as a Therapeutic Tool (Starts at 06:00)

• How releasing judgment creates real avenues for healing.
• Why dismantling assumptions is crucial to genuine human connection.

The Impact of Psychosis, Brain Injury, and Trauma (Starts at 15:00)

• Psychosis versus premeditation: how cognitive states influence behavior.
• Brain injury, trauma, and the thin line that separates "us" from "them."

The Transformative Power of Movement and Nature (Starts at 29:00)

• Why nature is the most accessible and effective healing environment.
• How movement and rhythm regulate the nervous system.

Occupational Therapy for the "Invisible" Population (Starts at 43:00)

• Supporting adults with serious mental illness through practical, embodied therapies.
• The role of sensory integration, cooking, and daily activities in recovery.

Safety, Risk, and Working Without Fear (Starts at 54:00)

• How Leana assesses safety when taking clients into community spaces.
• Why authoritarian approaches escalate crises—and how she avoids them.

Building Healing Environments: Indoors and Out (Starts at 1:03:00)

• The overlooked importance of aesthetics, art, and comfort in institutional settings.
• Creating sensory-friendly spaces that foster connection and resilience.

Resilience Through Horses: Personal and Professional Lessons (Starts at 1:19:00)

• How Leana’s young horse taught her about boundaries, patience, and attunement.
• Transferring lessons from horsemanship to healing human trauma.

Attunement and the Power of Radical Listening (Starts at 1:24:00)

• How true attunement—"listening with your whole body"—becomes medicine.
• Mirroring nervous system states to bring clients back to themselves.

The Future: Supporting Staff, Scaling Healing (Starts at 1:56:00)

• Why staff education in attunement and trauma-informed care is essential.
• How small shifts in environment, training, and nature access could transform mental health systems.

🌟 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• "They are not what they've done."
• The surprising safety of working with people society labels as dangerous (29:00)
• Why taking clients to Lake Michigan and cooking meals together brings more progress than clinical interventions (44:00)
• The critical difference between healing and cure (41:30)
• The "poison plant" metaphor for understanding trauma and sensitivity (2:07:00)
• Radical acceptance as the doorway to true change (2:03:00)

🤝 Connect with Us:

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