Step into your power with The Integrated Shadow
About Me and my Practice
My name is Tyler Smith-Coppes and my path has always been centered on healing, connection, and presence. I hold a Master's degree in Mindfulness-based transpersonal clinical mental health counseling and my early work as a therapist taught me that true healing goes beyond insight — it lives in the body, in relationship, and in our willingness to be fully present and honest.
That understanding eventually led me from the therapy room to the pasture.
Through my own healing journey and my work with horses, I discovered that horses have an extraordinary ability to mirror the human experience. They respond not to who we pretend to be, but to who we truly are. In their presence, our emotional patterns, defenses, and unspoken needs are reflected back to us with clarity and compassion. This makes the horse not only a partner, but a profound teacher in self-awareness and authenticity.
My practice weaves together my background in clinical mental health counseling, transpersonal psychology and gestalt awareness with the intuitive, embodied wisdom of horse medicine. I help people explore the inner landscape of emotion, regulation, and presence and then bring that awareness into their relationships with either their horses or mine.
The result is a deeper sense of peace, confidence, and connection - both within yourself and in your partnership. Whether you’re seeking emotional healing, spiritual growth, or a more harmonious relationship with your horse, this work offers a path toward integration: mind, body, and spirit moving together in harmony.
At its heart, my practice is about remembering.
Remembering how to listen.
Remembering how to trust.
Remembering how to attune.
Remembering the wholeness that exists within you — and seeing it reflected back through the gentle, honest eyes of a horse.
My Philosophy
At the heart of my work is a deep reverence for the horse — not as a tool for human growth, but as a sentient being with wisdom, emotion, and spirit of their own. Horses are not here to perform for us; they are here to partner with us, to remind us of what’s real, and to guide us back to balance and authenticity.
I believe that healing happens in relationship — when we meet ourselves and the horse with honesty, presence, and compassion. The same principles that nurture emotional well-being in humans also nurture trust and connection with horses: boundaries rooted in respect, communication grounded in awareness, and love expressed through clarity and attunement.
My passion is to be an advocate for horses - to help humans see and honor their depth, sensitivity, and individuality. When we shift from control to connection, from dominance to dialogue, something profound unfolds: the horse softens, and so do we. We begin to experience relationship as a sacred exchange — one where both beings grow, heal, and remember their innate wholeness.
This philosophy extends beyond horsemanship. It’s about how we live, love, and relate to all of life. Horses teach us to be still, to feel deeply, and to listen with the body — lessons that awaken us to our own truth and to the living intelligence that connects all beings.
In essence, my work is about restoring right relationship: with ourselves, our emotions, our horses, and the natural world. From that place, genuine healing, freedom, and harmony emerge.