Autistic Voices in Equine Therapy: Dr. Rebecca Evanko on Female Autism & Wilder Wood

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Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson

Rupert Isaacson

42 episodes

3 days ago

Here on Equine Assisted World. We look at the cutting edge and the best practices currently being developed and, established in the equine assisted field. This can be psychological, this can be neuropsych, this can be physical, this can be all of the conditions that human beings have that these lovely equines, these beautiful horses that we work with, help us with. Your Host is New York Times bestselling author Rupert Isaacson. Long time human rights activist, Rupert helped a group of Bushmen in the Kalahari fight for their ancestral lands. He's probably best known for his autism advocacy work following the publication of his bestselling book "The Horse Boy" and "The Long Ride Home" where he tells the story of finding healing for his autistic son. Subsequently he founded New Trails Learning Systems an approach for addressing neuro-psychiatric conditions through horses, movement and nature. The methods are now used around the world in therapeutic riding program, therapy offices and schools for special needs and neuro-typical children. You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com.

All content for Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson is the property of Rupert Isaacson and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Autistic Voices in Equine Therapy: Dr. Rebecca Evanko on Female Autism & Wilder Wood | Ep 37

Equine Assisted World with Rupert Isaacson

1 hour 56 minutes

1 month ago

Autistic Voices in Equine Therapy: Dr. Rebecca Evanko on Female Autism & Wilder Wood | Ep 37

From a childhood marked by abandonment in Australia to building a groundbreaking equine-assisted program in New Mexico, Dr. Rebecca Evanko’s story is one of resilience, survival, and transformation. Joined by her husband, physician Dr. Marc Evanko, the two share how their own neurodivergence—autism and ADHD—shaped Wilder Wood Equine Therapy, a program centering female autism and authentic connection with horses.

Together they discuss the creation of WRADIANCE©, a new diagnostic tool designed by autistic women for autistic women, and their unique counseling model that blends equine interaction with trauma-informed, neurodivergent-led support.

✨ “For the first time, I said to myself: I’m not a problem. I’m autistic. I think differently.” – Dr. Rebecca Evanko

✨ “There’s nothing wrong with either operating system—Android or Apple. They both work. It’s just different.” – Dr. Marc Evanko

If you want to support the show, you can do so at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LongRideHome

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Growing up autistic, obsessed with horses, and left alone at 15 in rural Australia ([00:04:00])
Surviving homelessness, finding mentors, and building resilience through horses ([00:06:00])
Misdiagnosis, masking, and why female autism is so often overlooked ([00:10:00])
Meeting Marc, ADHD as both challenge and superpower, and their shared love of horses ([00:21:00])
Why true classical dressage informed their horse work at Wilder Wood ([00:27:00])
Creating equine therapy and counseling programs rooted in lived autistic experience ([00:48:00])
Grief, tribe, and the importance of community for autistic women ([01:17:00])
Joy as the opposite of suffering—and the role of horses in bringing it back ([01:53:00])

🎙️ Memorable Moments from the Episode:

Riding her horse through mist at 2 a.m. as a teen left alone in Queensland ([00:05:00])
A kitchen accident leading Rebecca back to horses at age 52 ([00:27:00])
Marc’s ADHD metaphor: starting to rake leaves, ending up at Home Depot, forgetting the rake ([00:32:00])
Discovering that most autism programs weren’t designed by autistic people ([00:48:00])
The “aha” moment: interviews don’t work—written narratives reveal female autism ([00:57:00])
Why masking makes girls “fly under the radar” until adolescence melts them down ([01:12:00])
The concept of learned helplessness vs. finding survival strategies ([01:45:00])
Horses as partners in teaching self-reliance, not helplessness ([01:52:00])
Rebecca’s memoir Joy—naming what she found on the other side of suffering ([01:53:00])

📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:

Joy – Memoir by Dr. Rebecca Evanko https://amzn.to/4meH0uP
Wilder Wood Equine Therapy – https://wilderwoodequinetherapy.org
The WRADIANCE© Protocol – female autism diagnostic tool in clinical trials https://wilderwoodequinetherapy.org/the-wradiance-instrument-and-protocol/
Temple Grandin – Autism advocate, professor, and author
Movement Method & Horse Boy Method – https://ntls.co

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:
Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home:
Website: https://longridehome.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems:
Website: https://ntls.co
Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

📊 Affiliate Disclosure:
Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.