Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

As strange as it may seem, adding a horse to the psychotherapy and learning equation may be the missing piece you’ve been looking for. Those who are familiar with horses recognize and understand their ability to influence people in incredibly powerful ways. The benefits of a good work ethic, personal responsibility and assertiveness, effective communication, and healthy relationships have been seen as contributing significantly to happy, well-balanced individuals. Horses naturally help us in acquiring these benefits. The use of horses is growing and gaining in popularity with the rise of new approaches in working with the horses, such as Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) activities. EAP incorporates horses experientially for emotional growth and learning. It is a collaborative effort between a licensed therapist and a horse to address treatment goals. EAL focuses on educational goals and the acquisition of a variety of life skills. These goals or skills can be defined by the individual or group.