Our Equine Assisted Therapy programs are facilitated by a mental health professional and are provided in a safe, calming environment through the interaction with horses and canines. Children and Teens
Equine facilitated psychotherapy may be just as effective with children and teens as it is with adult clients. As with adults, children can experience challenges such as trauma, anxiety, depression,
PTSD, and more. Equine therapy offers them a therapeutic environment that can feel less threatening and more inviting than a traditional talk therapy office. The majority of children participating in EAP are between the ages of 6 to 18 years old. Children often find it difficult to open up and process painful emotions and experiences. Equine-assisted psychotherapy allows youth, and people of all ages, to work on issues such as:
Assertiveness Ω Confidence Ω Developing and maintaining relationships Ω Emotional awareness Ω Empathy Ω Impulse control Ω Problem-solving skills Ω Social skills Ω Trust in others Ω Trust in self. Feedback and Mirroring
Horses are keen observers and are vigilant and sensitive to movement and emotion. They often mirror a client's behavior or emotions, conveying understanding and connection that allows the client to feel safe. This also allows for clients to maintain a sense of self-awareness, using the horse's behavior and interactions for feedback and opportunities to check in and process what is happening in the moment. Managing Vulnerability
As clients might find themselves vulnerable when trying to open up about emotional challenges, past experiences, or life transitions, the horse can offer a reference point to use for processing. If something feels too painful to speak of, it can feel a bit easier for clients to process using the horse as an example, or to align their experience with the horse's experiences in the moment. Externalizing the content in this way can make things easier to approach and process through. Benefits of equine therapy (https://psychcentral.com/health/equine-assisted-psychotherapy -assisted-therapy-defined)
• A 2018 studyTrusted Source found a decrease in PTSD symptoms in military veterans after therapeutic riding treatment.
• A 2015 studyTrusted Source found that after horse-assisted therapy, young people reported significantly stronger motivation to stay in substance abuse treatment.
• Several studies found significant increases in resilienceTrusted Source in veterans and in young people in residential care that involved equine therapy.
• A 2016 study showed significant increases in emotional intelligence among professional caregivers with compassion fatigue.
