Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Why Horses?

There are several reasons we choose to work with horses in therapy, but primarily it is due to their nature as a social and prey animal.  As a result of this nature, they have an extraordinary ability to read our nonverbal communication – picking up on messages we are sending which we are not always conscious of.  With this, they start responding to us in familiar ways and remind us of other people and/or situations in our life.  It is through this process that they help show us about our innermost selves, providing us the opportunity to work on ourselves in regards to relationships and patterns that no longer serve us. The horses tend to play out our life stories, and then may either show us or provide opportunities to change what those stories look like. 

Horses do not know our past, education, gender, race or other labels we may apply to ourselves and each other.  They are in the moment and can be a part of this relationship without the biases we humans put on each other. This provides even more value in the insight they can provide us about ourselves. 

There are some differences in what talk therapy and EAP may look or feel like. It is unlike talk therapy, in that our focus will be on the horses and the space – the external - and encourages a focus on experience rather than process. It provides you with the opportunity to experience, explore, problem-solve, discover, be creative, gain insight, and experience practical applications of what you are learning in the moment. As facilitators the treatment team may be standing beside you, looking out toward the space instead of looking directly at you.

For equine-assisted psychotherapy, I utilize a blend of training I have received from the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), Natural Lifemanship, and ARCH.