Equine Assited Psychotherapy and Learning:
Equine Assited Psychotherapy
As our society becomes more troubled and seemingly out of control, people and agencies are looking for something that will have a greater, more positive impact in helping effect positive change.
The use of horses is gaining more recognition as a powerful and effective approach to helping children, adolescents, and adults. Those who are familiar with horses recognize and understand the power of horses to influence people in incredibly powerful ways.
Horses have an amazing power to heal and to teach. They offer unconditional friendship, experience a wide range of feelings, and provide immediate, honest, observable feedback in response to our interactions with them. Horses are sensitive to nonverbal stimulus, which makes them astute therapeutic guides. They are social beings that bring us insight into group dynamics and our individual roles we play in our daily lives.
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an emerging field in which horses are used as a tool for emotional growth and learning. It is experiential in nature in that individuals learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with horses and then discuss feelings, behaviors, and patterns. The focus of EAP is not riding or horsemanship. The focus of EAP involves setting up activities involving horses which will require the individual or group to apply certain skills such as: non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking and problem solving, leadership, work, taking responsibility, teamwork and relationships, confidence, and positive attitude.
EAP is useful as an adjunct to traditional, talk therapy, and it can be used as an independent type of therapy. It is a brief approach that successfully addresses a variety of mental health needs including: behavioral issues, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, abuse issues, depression, anxiety, relationship problems and communication needs.
EAP sessions at the Creative Growth Center are available for individuals, families, and groups.
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)
EAL is a non- traditional approach to learning which involves hands-on activities with horses. EAL is a form of experiential learning which occurs when a person is interacting with their environment, including the people, animals and situations involved, for an educational purpose. By taking part in structured activities, participants are better able to reflect on what takes place and apply it to other areas of their lives.
The horses are used as metaphors in these activities to build life skills and to promote the exploration of behaviors. The fact that horses exhibit personalities, attitudes and moods, as unique as any person's provides endless experiences and situations for discussion, analysis, and learning.
EAL sessions at the Creative Growth Center are available for individuals, families, and groups.
