Karen Finch, Founder & Facilitator
Stable Within™
Karen's Certifications & Training
Equine Experiential Education Facilitator
Equine Experiential Education Association
Professional Life Coach
Certified Life Coach Institute
Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship
Equine-Assisted Therapist
Natural Lifemanship® Institute
Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork
The Masterson Method®
Meet Banjo
First Responder Therapy Dog in Training
I've always been curious why people respond so differently to stress. That curiosity has shaped my career.
For more than three decades, as a school counselor, 911 dispatcher, and equine-experiential educator, I've supported children, families, educators, and first responders through wonderfully ordinary days and incredibly difficult ones.
I've spent nearly 30 years alongside the first responder community through my husband's service as a firefighter and member of Search and Rescue. I've seen what the job asks of people and what they carry home.
Along the way, I've studied stress, trauma, the nervous system, resilience, and what helps people adapt and recover. Stable Within grew from bringing those experiences together. Working alongside horses opened up a way of learning that is immediate, honest, experiential, and hard to forget.
Through it all, I've learned that steadiness doesn't end with us. It shapes the conversations we have, the relationships we build, and the people we come home to.
When I'm not working, I'm usually looking for adventure: biking, playing on the water, traveling, or hiking with my dog, Banjo.
Some of life's best moments happen beside a good dog.
My Australian Shepherd and sidekick, Banjo, has completed her testing with First Responder Therapy Dogs and is awaiting certification. Together, we'll visit first responders where they work.
Banjo shows up and people light up. She brings comfort when words are hard to find, connection when days are difficult, and a reminder that even in heavy moments, there's still room for a little joy.
Whether it's a 1,000-pound horse or a 50-pound dog, animals have a remarkable way of helping us slow down, feel seen, and remember what steady feels like.
Sometimes finding your way back begins with a horse... and a very good dog.
