Is an experiential therapy that incorporates horses into the therapeutic process. Working with horses provides a unique approach to addressing therapeutic and personal development goals.
Being in the presence of horses can have profound positive effects for humans and bring significant psychological and psychosocial benefits including improving self-esteem, self-efficacy, confidence, empowerment, self-awareness, healing and regulation.
Working in partnership with horses can provide clients with support and emotional regulation to work towards therapeutic and personal goals in an authentic and non-judgemental way.
Horses are experts at communicating using body language, having remarkable skills in observation, sensitive to movement and emotions. They often mirror a clients emotions, providing a deep connection that allows clients to feel safe and comfortable.
In fact, studies have indicated that horses are so in tune with human emotions, that they can detect and remember even the slightest change in facial expression. Horses can pick up the subtlest of human emotions and adjust their behaviour to alleviate dysregulated emotions. As such, they provide instant feedback that supports people in developing skills of self-regulation and self-awareness that promotes positive psychological wellbeing
Benefits of Equine Therapy
Equine assisted therapy has many benefits for people experiencing but not limited to: Anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship difficulties and trauma
Working in partnership with horses alongside an equine assisted psychotherapist or counsellor, clients have a unique opportunity to notice how they engage with negative self-talk, thoughts, emotions and actions. This raised awareness provides openings to explore these further with the therapist and work towards therapeutic and developmental goals.
What to expect
Sessions take place outside, on our 20 acre property in the paddocks, horse arena, round yard or under one of the horse shelters. The property has many shade trees with some beautiful places to sit and observe the herd.
Sessions are with an equine assisted psychotherapist and take between 1-1½ hours. No prior horse experience is necessary. You can observe the horses or you can work in close proximity with the horses – whatever you feel most comfortable doing.
Sessions can involve
- Meeting the horses at liberty
- Meeting with an individual horse
- Horse observations
- Leading a horse
- Grooming
- Creating and leading a horse with obstacles
