Today we’d like to introduce you to Trudi Perkins.
Hi Trudi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Crossing Arrows Ranch was born from both of our healing journeys. I (Trudi) came into this work after surviving domestic violence and rebuilding my life with the support of therapy, faith, and education. That experience shaped my calling to become a trauma therapist and help others find the safety and connection I once needed.
Spencer’s path was shaped by his struggles with suicidal thoughts as a teen and the losses he faced later in life, including a young person he loved deeply and, in 2025, his own father. His survival—and the heartbreak that followed—ignited his mission to create a place where others would never have to face their darkest moments alone.
Together, we began building a healing-centered environment grounded in Natural Lifemanship, trauma-informed care, and spiritual connection. What started as two people trying to turn pain into purpose has grown into Crossing Arrows Ranch, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to serving trauma survivors, families, and our community.
One of our proudest commitments is offering 8 free equine therapy sessions for veterans and first responders, along with a sliding scale to ensure individuals with financial limitations can still access healing. Our goal has always been to remove barriers—not create them.
Today, we continue to grow the ranch with the belief that relational healing, compassion, and accessibility can transform lives. We are exactly where we are because we followed the call to turn our hardships into help for others, and that mission guides everything we do.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. The path that led us to this work has been filled with challenges, and those challenges are a major part of why Crossing Arrows Ranch exists today.
Before becoming a trauma therapist, I (Trudi) lived through years of domestic violence. Those years were marked by fear, instability, and the constant pressure of trying to keep life together in an environment that was anything but safe. Leaving that relationship required tremendous courage—and it wasn’t a simple, clean break. I faced a difficult custody battle, overwhelming financial uncertainty, and the emotional weight of rebuilding life after experiencing abuse.
There were times when every day felt like a fight for stability, security, and dignity. Those experiences didn’t just shape me—they ignited my passion for helping others who feel stuck, unheard, or afraid. Becoming a trauma therapist was never just a career choice for me; it was a calling formed in the fire of my own survival.
Spencer’s journey had its own share of hardship. He struggled with suicidal thoughts as a teenager and young adult, and later he endured the heartbreaking loss of someone he loved like a son to suicide. In 2025, he lost his father to suicide as well. Each of these losses deepened his understanding of despair—but also strengthened his commitment to walking alongside others in their darkest moments.
As we began building the ranch and shaping our mission, we faced the usual challenges of starting something from scratch—financial strain, legal hurdles, and the immense emotional labor of creating a healing space while continuing to process our own histories. There were moments when the road felt overwhelmingly steep.
But every struggle became part of our foundation.
We learned resilience.
We learned trust.
And we learned that healing isn’t about avoiding hardship—it’s about transforming it.
No, the road hasn’t been smooth. But the rough places are exactly what prepared us for this work. They gave us the strength, empathy, and conviction to build a place where others can find safety, connection, and hope.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Crossing Arrows Ranch, our mission is to help individuals find safety, connection, and hope after experiencing trauma, loss, and emotional hardship. We offer trauma-informed psychotherapy integrated with equine-assisted work, somatic regulation, and spiritually grounded approaches to healing.
I (Trudi) am a CSW and a Natural Lifemanship Practitioner & Equine Professional (NLC-P, EP). I specialize in trauma recovery, relationship and attachment wounds, emotional regulation, and helping clients rebuild a sense of safety in their bodies and relationships. My work blends EMDR, inner parts/attachment-based work, somatic practices, and the Natural Lifemanship model—an approach that uses the horse-human connection to teach healthy, authentic relational skills.
Spencer is the founder of Crossing Arrows Ranch and a certified Natural Lifemanship Equine Professional (NLC-EP). His lived experience with suicidal thoughts, the losses he has endured, and his ability to connect deeply with people and horses give him a unique presence in this work. Clients often describe him as grounding, compassionate, and someone they feel safe with immediately. He creates an environment where people feel valued, understood, and never judged.
What We’re Known For
We’re known for creating a healing environment that feels genuinely safe and attuned. Many clients share that Crossing Arrows Ranch is the first place where they’ve been able to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with themselves without pressure or fear.
We are also known for blending:
Trauma-informed therapy
Somatic and nervous system regulation
Natural Lifemanship’s relational approach
A spiritually grounded, compassionate presence
This blend helps clients move from survival mode into connection, confidence, and inner peace.
What We’re Most Proud Of
We’re most proud of the transformations we witness:
Individuals rediscovering their sense of worth
Survivors gaining clarity and confidence
Clients learning to regulate their emotions in healthy, empowering ways
People reconnecting with their faith or inner strength
Families and individuals finding hope where they once felt stuck
We are also proud that Crossing Arrows Ranch was built not from ease, but from perseverance, calling, and lived experience. It represents resilience, courage, and the belief that healing is possible.
What Sets Us Apart
1. Our lived experience informs our work.
We bring empathy that comes from having walked through our own darkest seasons. Clients feel that authenticity.
2. Our commitment to relational healing.
Natural Lifemanship teaches connection through choice, respect, and healthy boundaries—skills that translate directly into human relationships.
3. Our holistic and spiritually grounded approach.
We honor the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Healing is not one-dimensional; we integrate all parts of a person’s experience into the process.
4. A partnership built on balance.
Spencer’s equine leadership and relational strength paired with my clinical training create a grounded, compassionate, and effective healing team.
Crossing Arrows Ranch is not just a therapy program—it’s a sanctuary for people rebuilding their lives. We walk with them, honor their stories, and help them rediscover the strength that has been there all along.
How do you define success?
We define success by healing, not numbers. If someone walks away feeling safer, more connected, or a little more hopeful than when they arrived—that’s success. It’s the quiet moments: a deep breath after years of tension, a client finding their voice, a horse partnering with someone who’s learning to trust again.
For us, success is showing up with compassion, honoring people’s stories, and creating a space where transformation is possible. If even one life shifts toward hope, we’ve succeeded.
Pricing:
- 8 FREE sessions for Veterans
- Sliding Scale!
- Non Profit (501c3)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.crossingarrowsranch.org/
- Instagram: @crossingarrowsranch
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crossingarrowsranch/
