Dr. Rebecca Bailey

Rebecca Bailey, Ph.D. is a leading family psychologist and equestrian who has become a world-renowned professional teacher, speaker, author, and entrepreneur. She is a pioneer in the field of animal-assisted therapy and system-based interventions.

She is the founder of Transitioning Families, a group of independently licensed mental health practitioners dedicated to Bailey’s innovative ideas for helping families through crisis and difficult change. She is best known for her work with survivors of non-familial abduction and complex trauma and is on the advisory board of the JAYC foundation. Together with two colleagues she created an innovative model utilizing horses and humans to help teach and educate judges, police officers, therapists and other professionals about compassion, kindness, and connection.

Dr. Bailey is the co-creator of the Polyvagal Equine Institute, an organization dedicated to equine-assisted psychotherapy and education with a focus on

applying Dr. Stephen Porges research on the autonomic nervous system to a variety of populations. She believes that understanding the interaction between the nervous system and our thoughts and actions is key to compassionately responding to and addressing the complexities of today’s societal demands. She has appeared on numerous Network shows including Andersen Cooper and ABC’s 20/20.

A graduate of The Wright Institute in Berkley, CA, Dr. Bailey was raised in the Boston area but relocated to California 35 years ago. She now lives in Northern California with her loving husband and countless animals.