WHAT IS A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE?

I struggled to find my place to grow into EFP.

That sounds strange to say.

There were certifications. There were workshops. There were conferences. There were books. There was a dizzying volume of training models, perspectives, and opportunities exploring every angle of horse-human interaction.

My social media feeds were—and continue to be—packed with opportunities.

And yet, I struggled to find a place where I could bring my questions.

Not questions about techniques.

Not questions about checklist items so I could “do EFP.”

Not questions about how to be a therapist in general. I am a psychologist and have been for over 20 years. I know how to do that.

I had questions about horses, relationships and ethics.

Questions about what I was noticing.

Questions about what I did not yet understand.

Questions like:

Why would I recommend EFP rather than offering traditional office-based, evidence-based treatment?

This question did not seem to have simple answers.

The more I learned, the less interested I became in finding someone to tell me what to think and do. What I wanted was a place where people could think together.

This is the heart of a Community of Practice.

A place where people can think together.

A Community of Practice is not a certification.

It is not a governing body.

It is not a methodology.

It is not a place where everyone agrees.

It is a group of people connected by a shared area of interest who come together to learn, reflect, challenge assumptions, share experiences, and support one another’s growth.

A Community of Practice helps us move beyond collecting answers and toward developing our capacity to navigate complexity.

For me, developing as a practitioner has never been simply about learning what to do. It has been about learning how to think, how to remain curious, and how to continue growing alongside horses, clients, colleagues, and questions.

Some questions are too important to explore alone.

That is why Communities of Practice matter.