Meet Emma Barnosky of Malibu/on Zoom

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Barnosky.

Hi Emma, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Dr. Emma Barnosky, and I’m an Equine-Assisted Healing Facilitator and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner.

My career has emerged from an unexpected braiding together of several different strands of my life. I grew up riding horses, and they were a tremendous source of joy and connection for me. As I got older, though, I stopped riding, and horses disappeared from my life for a while.

I began my professional career in tech, where I developed a particular interest in human experience, storytelling, and recognizing patterns in how people navigate the world. That curiosity eventually led me to pursue a PhD at UCLA, where my dissertation explored the mental health impacts of wildfire in Southern California (https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/article/phd-graduate-highlight-dr-emma-barnosky-looks-at-the-social-and-political-dimensions-of-fire-management for more info).

As my research progressed, I became increasingly interested in not only understanding how trauma and our environments are intertwined, but also exploring how people might heal from those experiences. That interest deepened during the pandemic, when I began training in Somatic Experiencing® (SE), a three-year professional training rooted in the work of Peter Levine that focuses on trauma healing, nervous system regulation, and our capacity for connection.

Around the same time, I found my way back to horses, initially just for the joy of riding again. At first, this felt entirely separate from my professional life. But as I spent more time with horses alongside my SE training, I began to recognize just how much these animals embodied the principles I was studying. Horses are incredibly attuned to their environments, their own nervous systems, and the beings around them. I started to see how powerful it could be to bring these two worlds together.

About a year later, I connected with Rose Mary Riggs, the founder of Equine Therapy Malibu at Shakti Ranch. I joined the Equine Therapy Malibu staff and have since grown into the role of Lead Staff Facilitator and Trainer, running groups, 1:1 sessions, and working on teaching and curriculum development for the ranch’s certification program (of which I am also a graduate). Alongside my work on staff at the ranch, I’ve built my own private practice, where I bring together Somatic Experiencing®, equine-assisted work, and my background in trauma research to help individuals and groups deepen their connection to themselves, others, and the world around them.

Looking back, what once felt like separate interests—horses, human behavior, trauma research, and somatic healing—have come together in a way I never could have planned.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest challenges has been growing from working one-on-one with private clients into leading groups, facilitating retreats, and stepping into a more visible role. That transition required more than developing new professional skills; it asked me to expand my own nervous system’s capacity to hold greater responsibility, uncertainty, and visibility.

I’ve historically been much more comfortable behind the scenes, and putting myself out there has often felt vulnerable. Working with horses has been an important part of that growth, too. They continually remind me that leadership isn’t about having all the answers or controlling the outcome, but about being present, responsive, and willing to meet whatever unfolds. Learning to trust myself in that process has been an important part of my growth, both personally and professionally.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work sits at the intersection of somatic healing, relational awareness, and experiential learning. I’m a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, an equine-assisted learning facilitator, and a researcher with a PhD focused on environmental trauma and the human experience of intense uncertainty and change.

Across my work with individuals, groups, and organizations, I help people develop a deeper sense of connection to themselves, to others, and to the world around them. Much of this involves moving beyond intellectual understanding and into direct experience, where we can begin to recognize our patterns, explore new possibilities, and develop greater choice in how we respond.

Working with horses is a particularly meaningful part of my practice. As perceptive, relational beings with their own preferences and boundaries, horses offer opportunities to explore how we communicate, connect, and relate to others in ways that can be difficult to access through conversation alone. There’s no script for how an interaction will unfold, which creates a wonderful opportunity to practice presence, curiosity, and adaptability. At the same time, horses have an incredible ability to help humans regulate their nervous systems, which helps clients experience new responses to relational uncertainty that they can take to their lives outside the paddock.

I think what distinguishes my approach is the combination of academic research, nervous system awareness, and experiential learning, but also the sense of ease and playfulness I bring to the work. I’m proud of my ability to create spaces where people feel comfortable being themselves, even when we’re exploring difficult or vulnerable territory. I believe that meaningful growth can happen through laughter, curiosity, and play just as much as through serious reflection. Healing doesn’t always have to be so serious!

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that I don’t need to have all the answers to move forward. I’ve spent much of my life in academic and professional environments where knowing, planning, and preparing were highly valued. While those skills have served me well, I’ve learned that some of the most meaningful growth happens when we’re willing to step into uncertainty and trust our ability to respond to whatever unfolds.

Working with horses has reinforced this lesson again and again. They remind me that presence, curiosity, and trust in self/other are often far more valuable than having a perfect plan.

Pricing:

• 1:1 Somatic Experience® Session (60 min, Zoom): $175
• 1:1 Somatic Experiencing® Session with Horses (90 min, in person): $450
• Packages and Sliding scales available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emmabarnosky.com/
• Instagram: emazingg

Image Credits
Uploads 3, 5, 7, 8 are credited to Talitha Bullock