EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY
What is Equine Assisted Therapy?
Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) is offered by a qualified mental health practitioner where participants are offered safe experiences with horses for the purpose of addressing psychological challenges and developing new skills to achieve wellness.
EAT provides opportunity for self-development, relationship development and skill development, offered in an experiential way, with horses incorporated into the therapeutic process.
The purpose of EAT sessions is to develop and deepen the participant’s awareness of their thinking processes, behaviours and emotional responses in a collaborative therapeutic relationship so they are able to develop more personal awareness and have greater power over the choices they make in their lives. This work is based on ‘exploring’ and ‘experiencing’ while in a safe relationship.
EAT at HVCT is underpinned with evidence-based practice, including cognitive behaviour therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness-based practices. We take a trauma-sensitive approach and offer nature-based, experiential learning opportunities.
What might happen in an EAT session?
Following an initial grounding, relaxation and awareness process, we will invite the participant to undertake an experience with the horse/s. These may involve observing the horses from afar, touching, grooming or leading the horse.
These experiences are experiments; enacting and ‘doing’. Experiments are about trying something new, at an experiential level, which is a way of interrupting fixed patterns and beliefs.
EAT is trialling something different (rather than just talking about it) in relationship with another ‘being’ who is non-judgemental, authentic and supportive.
These experiments will always take into consideration the clients therapeutic goals, abilities and their window of tolerance; what they are able to manage physically and emotionally.
Participants are supported to discuss their experience in terms of what they felt, thought and saw. This will assist in increasing awareness of feelings, thoughts, observations, patterns or themes.
The Equine Psychotherapy Institute of Australia has developed its model of EAP/EAL on the following:
Common Factors Psychotherapy/ Counselling Research Outcomes on the Therapeutic Relationship that supports change
Psychological Theory
Psychotherapeutic Theory and Practices – Mindfulness Psychotherapy, Gestalt Psychotherapy, Trauma Therapy, Attachment and Developmental approach in Psychotherapy, and Relational Practice
Contemporary Neuroscience
Skilled Facilitation and Group Process
The Way of the Horse Psycho-education – where horses are modelling health and wellbeing
