In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson sits down with Dr. Helen Sharp, an equine journalist, academic, and co-founder of Groundwork EAS—an equine-assisted charity on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. A leading voice in both equine media and trauma-informed equine work, Dr. Sharp brings a unique blend of artistry, horsemanship, and therapeutic insight to everything she does.

She writes for The Irish Field and Farmers Journal, and her career spans journalism, community arts, equine bodywork, and academic research. She holds a PhD and has a background in sculpture and performance art, with her creative and research work shown around the world. As co-director of Groundwork, she serves veterans, trauma survivors, and neurodivergent individuals through programs that fuse nature, horses, and compassionate partnership.

This powerful conversation traces her extraordinary journey from the Hebrides to heroin recovery, from performance art to equine-assisted leadership, and why horses continue to be the greatest teachers of all.

📘 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The Origins of Groundwork EAS (Starts at 03:00)

• How Helen and co-founder Fiona Butchart launched the charity on a Northern Irish estate.
• The unique collaboration with Brooke House, a veterans' mental health charity.
• Why equine-assisted services are critical in a region with some of the UK’s highest mental health rates.

Inside the Program: Grounding, Grooming, and Gentle Touch (Starts at 06:44)

• How Groundwork uses nonclinical space, tea rituals, and horsemanship to support healing.
• What a 10-week program looks like—from grooming to obstacle courses.
• The power of soft, tactile interaction and its effect on hypervigilance and aggression.

Memorable Story: A Veteran’s Breakthrough with Breathing (Starts at 13:00)

• A former RUC officer transforms his relationship with anger through breathwork and horse partnership.
• How working with horses improved his family life.

Breaking the Silence: Domestic Violence and Equine Healing (Starts at 19:35)

• A stroke survivor finds calm and confidence through grooming a yearling.
• How horse-human connection opens doors that talk therapy alone can’t.

Childhood on the Edge: From the Hebrides to Horses (Starts at 23:03)

• Helen’s wild childhood on a remote Scottish island with no horses.
• How early life near the sea shaped her sensitivity and resilience.

Art, Heroin, and Healing (Starts at 35:00)

• Helen shares openly about her past heroin addiction, recovery, and a near-death experience.
• How a vivid overdose changed her life trajectory—and deepened her compassion.
• Why this history helps her serve people in trauma without judgment.

The Role of Routine, Ritual, and Horses in Recovery (Starts at 57:31)

• Why even intravenous drug use can mimic the grounding people seek in horses.
• The link between tactile connection and nervous system regulation.

From Performance Art to Journalism (Starts at 01:00:00)

• Helen’s unexpected path from swinging off anchors in Belarus to writing for Horse & Hound and The Irish Field.
• Why writing was always at the center of her self-expression.

Creating Change: Groundwork’s Model and the Power of the Broodmare (Starts at 01:16:00)

• How Helen uses young stock and broodmares to reflect complex family dynamics.
• Why one teenage girl found her voice by learning to speak clearly to a horse.

The Future of Equine-Assisted Services in Ireland (Starts at 01:29:00)

• Helen’s vision for integrating equine-assisted work into the national healthcare system.
• Why collaboration—not competition—is key to the future of the sector.
• Lessons learned from the global Seen Through Horses campaign: https://horsesformentalhealth.org/seen-through-horses/

✨ Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• “The hands can heal what the mind can’t.” (10:17)
• A veteran realizing that slowing down with his horse prevents family arguments (18:00)
• How grooming a yearling helped a stroke survivor regain stability (21:00)
• Helen’s overdose experience and the voice that saved her life: “You have a great brain” (38:00)
• “Frivolity is not the opposite of seriousness—it’s a form of joy.” (1:03:14)
• How observing a colt helped a mother process her teenage son’s behavior (1:26:00)

🤝 Connect with Dr. Helen Sharp & Groundwork:

• Groundwork Equine-Assisted Services: https://groundworkeas.org
• The Irish Field (Helen’s journalism): https://www.theirishfield.ie

See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

🌐 Rupert Isaacson: https://rupertisaacson.com
🎧 Podcast Archive: https://lfrf.transistor.fm
💻 Equine-Assisted Programs: https://newtrailslearning.com

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Tune in to this remarkable conversation with Dr. Helen Sharp for a raw and resonant look at horses, healing, and hope on the Irish border.