Equine Assisted Therapy

 

 

Many years of studying the relationship between humans and horses have led

therapists to realize the potential for healing through the use of horses. Equine

Therapy and Equine Assisted Learning use the horse as a tool for psychotherapy

in an experiential approach to teaching emotional well-being and growth.

Sessions with an experienced psychotherapist and a horse as co-therapist have

become recognized as opportunities for resounding insights and profound

movement that sometimes has not occurred for clients in more traditional

forms of talk therapy.

 

Horses seem to help us come to the core of mental health work:  the awareness and safe expression of emotions.  For most of us, feelings come up in the presence of horses, whether we’ve had connection with horses or not, whether those experiences have been satisfying or frustrating, whether the feelings are of fear or comfort.  With the horse as a mirror and the human therapist as a guide, clients are often able to release emotions that have become a maze of depression, anxiety addictions, or messy relationships.  The process challenges clients to learn about themselves and to process emotional issues, to develop better relationships and to increase their confidence – all in a non-threatening way. At the same time the horse offers an honest, visible relationship.  If a horse if bored, it will walk away; if he’s afraid, he’ll tremble, if she’s intrigued, she’ll come closer.  He or she responds to human emotion with acute sensitivity and acts in accordance: a feedback monitor with unerring accuracy and a heart of gold.

 

Success in this therapeutic process is not dependent on a person’s experience with horses.  Instead, change occurs as a result of the client’s ability to be open and willing.

Steven Hines, L.C.S.W.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Therapeutic services offered:

• Individuals, Couples, Families & Groups

• Team and Community building

• Wilderness experiences

 

 

 

 

 

Team Building

 

Leadership staffs and teams, regardless of the organization, form a community.  In order to be effective, productive, and achieve common goals, communities must work on their ability to relate and communicate together.  Equine-assisted team and community-building provides an opportunity that is unique and different from any other team building experience.  In this approach the horse is a living, breathing, reacting part of the experience.  The horse gives honest, immediate, consistent feedback.  As the group works through different team building exercises with the horse, the horse both mirrors and responds to the dynamics that are happening within the group.

 

Groups between 4 and 10 participants are given tasks to try and accomplish with the horse.  Most of what happens with each task is a metaphor for the way the group relates and works together in the “real world”.  No horse experience is necessary.  Groups can choose between a half-day or a full day depending on  their objectives and goals.  The half-day experience allows the time for the group to go through at least one task with one or more horses and to get a picture of how the group functions.  The group works together with each person working on their role and part of the group.  The full day gives more opportunity to go to a deeper level and to work through more issues or possible conflicts within the group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Possible Topics and Objectives:

 

• Problem-solving as a community

• Verbal and non-verbal communication

• Learn about what role you play in the group

• See how your style or approach works or doesn’t work within the community

• Develop openness and honesty within your community

• Clear up communication with members, work through blocks that are holding your group back from truly functioning as a team

• Experience success functioning with “clean” communication using all group members

 

It is recommended that the team leader have a consultation with the facilitator prior to the team building to determine appropriate topics and objectives for your group.