Aleishia James-Cooper, LCSW
Aleishia has been in the mental health field for over 6 years working with Veterans. She has received training in various modalities including Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, EMDR, Moral Injury, Problem Solving Therapy, Gottman Couple's Counseling, Skill Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. She earned her master’s degree in Social Work from ASU and her master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University. She enjoys the process of discovery and helping others find their paths.
Fire Horse
The name Fire Horse was born from the love of horses and the challenges of life. Horses are impressive, sentient beings that command attention and respect. In Linda Kohanov’s Way of the Horse Equine Archetype for Self-Discovery, the Fire Horse represents the energetic, consuming energy that fire represents. Managing the fires in our lives means paying attention to how much fuel we have lying around, as the more fuel, the more intense the blaze. Many times we are knocked out of our comfort zone and into a situation that may feel wild and out of control, burning the image we had of ourselves, others, relationships and/or our life itself. This sudden transformation can be a blow to our ego. Fortunately, we can maintain the debris in our lives and “clear” our “land” that may be fuel for a devastating fire. Until we are willing to be present in some of the emotions and information we have access to, we will remain in unserving and ineffective patterns. When we become aware, we can consciously burn through that which might otherwise prevent us from moving forward, fully embracing the feelings and experiences of the moment. Clearing the debris in our lives takes courage as it can feel like walking through fire at times. The good news is we are brave individuals who can withstand the energy of the flames and become like the horse, who lives fully moment by moment.
