What is Equine Psychotherapy?

Equine Psychotherapy is the combined use of the horse and handler/rider in achieving various individual therapeutic goals.

Who Benefits From Equine Psychotherapy?

Those who benefit from Equine Psychotherapy are persons of all ages whom are deficient in the mental skills necessary to achieve a healthy combination in the unity between the mind, body and soul.
Potential clients include those who may be:

• suffering from years of sexual, verbal and physical abuse, violence and neglect
• emotionally challenged
• substance abusers
• lacking self esteem, confidence and respect
• have poor listening skills
• diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• having difficulty with relationships
• recovering from loss
• feeling overwhelmed
• stressed
• are unresponsive to traditional therapies.

Research?

Research has proven that the unity between horse and handler/rider is successful in assisting individuals with mental illness and/or crisis. Many studies have and are currently underway. Go to www.narha.org for more information.

Benefits:

• Physical, emotional and mental reward
• Improve interpersonal relationships
• Increased self esteem and coping skills
• Being a motivator for the client
• Increased confidence
• Strength, balance, coordination
• Verbal communication skills
• Developing a sense of self worth
• Teaching to following direction
• Doing things in logical sequence
• Ease in working within groups
• Focus on finishing jobs
• Trust
• Doing something right through response from the animal
• Reconnecting lost feelings
• Bringing back good touch
• Rekindling the love missing from their life
• Reducing stress
• Finding physical and emotional balance
• Gaining sense of empowerment
• Increased self control
• Integration of the body, mind and spirit
• Nurturing
• Discovering new prospective in solving problems
• Assertiveness
• The practice of verbal and non verbal communication
• A general sense of well being
• Increased awareness of the outside world
• Interest in ones own life
• Patience
• Risk taking abilities
• Rewards
• Enhance psychological development, growth and education

Sessions:

Sessions are 1-2 hours in length and are modified to meet the special needs of each individual client.
Arena and ground work are implemented for the beginner rider/handler so that progression to calm enlightening and spiritual trail riding can be achieved.

The Riding instructor and the Therapist will work closely together to achieve maximum efficiency for the common goal and well being of the client. The Therapist may also choose to come along for the ride, increasing the productivity of the session.