Why Hope Bandits?
You're not alone.
Hope Bandits was founded on the belief that healing doesn’t happen in isolation—and that sometimes, it takes a dog, a chicken, or a horse to remind us how to feel safe again.
We know how exhausting it can feel to carry anxiety, perfectionism, trauma, or burnout. You might be the strong one, the helper, the overthinker—or someone who’s just tired of holding it all together. At Hope Bandits, you don’t have to explain everything. You just have to show up. We’ll help you take your hope back.
Our work is grounded in trauma-informed care, nervous system regulation, and the power of authentic relationship. Whether we're meeting in the office or out on the farm, we offer a unique approach to therapy and coaching that centers safety, connection, and transformation.
Annie Gipson, LCSW • Founder & Lead Therapist
Annie is a client-centered, approachable clinician who leads with empathy, honesty, and a healthy dose of humor. Her Southern accent might sneak up on you from time to time, and there’s often a little glitter on the floor of her office. She brings nearly a decade of experience supporting children, teens, and adults through deep emotional healing.
Her background includes specialized training in trauma treatment, anxiety, ADHD, and codependency. She integrates a variety of modalities including CBT, DBT, creative expression, play therapy, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), with a special focus on animal-assisted interventions. Annie is EAGALA-trained and currently completing certification through Natural Lifemanship.
Hope Bandits is named in honor of Annie’s childhood dog, Bandit, who taught her about love, loyalty, and emotional safety. It also speaks to the bold act of reclaiming your hope—even when life has tried to take it from you.
Amber Fenn · Equine Specialist
Amber is a proud Arizona native with deep roots in Northern Arizona, where her lifelong passion for horses first began. From a young age, she was immersed in the world of western horsemanship through 4-H, exploring everything from western pleasure and goat tying to team penning.
As a young adult, she could often be found flying around the barrels at local races, eventually earning the title of Yavapai County Rodeo Queen—celebrating her pride in the western way of life. Later, she joined the Golden West Cowgirls drill team, performing across the GCPRA rodeo circuit in synchronized routines that honored the spirit of the West.
Amber shares her love of horsemanship with the next generation as a local 4-H leader, teaching both her own children and other young riders the values, skills, and traditions that shaped her journey.
Today, she brings that same grounded presence to the Hope Bandits herd. As our trauma-informed Equine Specialist, Amber ensures the emotional and physical safety of both horses and humans. She’s a quiet but powerful partner in the arena—reading the herd, responding to client needs, and helping create a space that feels steady, safe, and attuned. With a strong foundation in natural horsemanship, she supports our herd in showing up as their most connected, regulated selves—while helping clients experience the deep healing that happens through relationship.
The Animal Staff
Gracie Lee • Chief Feeling Officer
Ruthie Belle • Junior Joy Specialist
Ruthie Belle • Junior Joy Specialist
Gracie is a resilient pup with a big heart and a sensitive soul. She specializes in co-regulation and comfort, particularly for clients navigating anxiety, sensory overwhelm, or trauma. She knows a lot about healing because she had to do it herself.
Ruthie Belle • Junior Joy Specialist
Ruthie Belle • Junior Joy Specialist
Ruthie Belle • Junior Joy Specialist
Ruthie is Gracie’s younger sister and brings golden retriever energy in all the best ways. She works primarily in the office, offering smiles, snuggles, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. She’s currently in training for additional certifications but already excels at giving the best hugs, spreading joy, and “accidentally” sneaking in kisses.
Ruthie is Gracie’s younger sister and brings golden retriever energy in all the best ways. She works primarily in the office, offering smiles, snuggles, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. She’s currently in training for additional certifications but already excels at giving the best hugs, spreading joy, and “accidentally” sneaking in kisses. Ruthie helps clients reconnect to joy, play, and the simple power of being greeted like a rock star.
Spice • The Soulful Leader
Ruthie Belle • Junior Joy Specialist
Spice • The Soulful Leader
Spice is our confident redhead and the lead mare of the herd. Once neglected and nearly lost to slaughter, she now leads with quiet power and deep intuition. She’s been unfairly labeled in the past, but her wise, grounded presence reminds us that healing is possible when trust is earned. The other horses look to her for guidance, and huma
Spice is our confident redhead and the lead mare of the herd. Once neglected and nearly lost to slaughter, she now leads with quiet power and deep intuition. She’s been unfairly labeled in the past, but her wise, grounded presence reminds us that healing is possible when trust is earned. The other horses look to her for guidance, and humans often find her both soulful and sassy in all the best ways.
Willow • The Cuddly Shadow
Luna • The Spirited Wildcard
Spice • The Soulful Leader
Willow wants nothing more than to be zipped inside your jacket and stay there forever. She’s a pocket horse through and through—gentle, affectionate, and stunningly beautiful. While she brings warmth and cuddles, she also navigates her own anxiety and is learning how to regulate through change and separation. She’ll fight you for snacks, but she’ll also melt your heart.
Duke • The Gentle Goofball
Luna • The Spirited Wildcard
Luna • The Spirited Wildcard
Duke is a retired rodeo horse who’s learning what it means to live life on his own terms. After years of compliance, he’s discovering how to make choices and stay present instead of dissociating. He’s strong, steady, and full of “dude energy”—and he has a hilarious habit of getting himself stuck between buildings. He loves kids, neck scratches, and building connected relationships at his own pace.
Luna • The Spirited Wildcard
Luna • The Spirited Wildcard
Luna • The Spirited Wildcard
Luna is the youngest member of the herd and was rescued from slaughter as an orphan. She’s still figuring out how to horse, how to trust, and how not to nip everyone she meets. Think awkward teenage energy meets tiny tornado. She’s sassy, smart, and full of personality—and while she’s still learning about boundaries, her playful nature and bond with Spice are helping her grow every day.
The Chickens • Emotional Support Cluckers
The Chickens • Emotional Support Cluckers
The Chickens • Emotional Support Cluckers
Don’t underestimate them. These quirky little beings have a lot to say about nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and the importance of snacks.
Where there is life, there is hope.
Stephen Hawking
