Paddock Play - Online Education Series

Integrating Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning and nature-based activities when working with Autistic children and young people.

The purpose

In my travels as a practitioner and a consultant to other practitioners, I have found that there are lots of us receiving referrals for Autistic children and young people and some people were feeling like they need more education and training in this space. Me included!

There’s a myriad of ‘training’ offers out there for working with Autistic and neurodivergent children, and many around Autism in general .  I couldn’t find anything specific to working with Autistic children in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, so I thought I’d create my own learning journey, by speaking with a number of Autistic advocates around a variety of topics I was interested in at the time. I am now hoping to share that journey and what I discovered with others. 

Who will benefit:

This educational series will be targeted at practitioners working, or interested in working with Autistic children and young people, specifically in the space of providing Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning and/or Nature-based supports. 

How it is different to other ‘training’:

While I have some lived experience of growing up in a household with an Autistic parent, I am not Autistic myself. I also acknowledge the importance of having Autistic people at the forefront of the delivery of information around Autism; leading us to deepen our understanding around how to best support Autistic clients and to educate us on how we can better engage in inclusive, neurodiversity affirming practices.

The educational information in this series is delivered by Autistic people via a series of consultation type interviews. The ‘interviewees’ are all Autistic and have either engaged in Equine/Animal Assisted Therapy themselves or specialise in supporting autistic children and their families. They generously offer their insight, expertise and lived- experience.

The series includes interviews with the following Autistics

Allison Davies: www.allisondavies.com.au

Shadia Hancock: www.autismactually.com.au

Summer Farrelly: www.summerfarrelly.com.au

Harry Thompson: www.facebook.com/HarryThompsonPDAExtraordinaire

Rachel Dorsey: www.dorseyslp.com

We have a surprise 6th interview ‘in the making’.

 Each are Autistic advocates who have their own, unique offerings. You can learn more about them by clicking on the links to their websites.

 To make this learning experience even richer, we have the privilege of having Diana as part of our group discussions. This is an integral part of the delivery of this program and Diana generously shares her lived experiences as an Autistic person and an EAP Practitioner. Diana is also an experienced and compassionate riding coach with a particular passion for I-Thou Horsepersonship which she brings into every interaction with her own horses and with her riding clients.

 The details:

Dates:

1.       2nd May

2.       9th May

3.       16th May

4.       23rd May             

5.       30th May

6.       6th June

Delivery Format:

In your own time:  In the week prior to our group session, each participant is invited to watch 1 selected pre-recorded interview (approximately 1 hour duration).

Weekly Online Sessions: We will meet up as a group via zoom, for 6 x weekly face-to-face sessions, Beginning 2nd May 2023.

11am to 12:30pm (AEST)

OR

6pm to 7:30pm (AEST).

During this time we will discuss the key themes from the interview and explore how we implement this knowledge into our practice as EAP/EAL practitioners. Questions and case discussions will be most welcomed during this time, and we will have Diana there to support and guide our discussions, from her lived experience as both an Autistic person and also a practitioner. 

Group size: Maximum of 8 participants

Cost: $660. A 50% deposit of $330 is required to secure your place.

The final payment is due by 10th April 2023.

Payment plans are available. Please inquire about this on application

Cancellations: Participants can withdraw up to 3 weeks prior, by COB 11th April 2023. Their deposit will be refunded, minus a $66 administration fee. Cancellations thereafter are non-refundable.

Pre-requisites: Participants must have already completed a certification in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy /Learning.

Please note that this is not a course in the basics of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning. It is additional education, around a specific client group, for practitioners already certified.

Your Facilitators …. A little bit about us:

Nadine Delaney

I’m an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker in private practice. I’m also a Certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy practitioner.

I mainly work with children and young people with a large proportion of my clients being Autistic/ neurodivergent.

I also provide clinical supervision and consultation for other practitioners - social workers, psychologists, counsellors, other Mental Health practitioners and Equine Assisted Learning practitioners.

Diana Waters - my co-pilot

Diana is Autistic and an Accredited Counsellor and Certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy practitioner.

You can learn more about Diana and her private practice, Central Coast Equine Assisted Psychotherapy at www.cceap.com.au (EAP) and www.responsiveequine.com.au (Riding coaching)

“I was a high school Chemistry teacher and a part time qualified riding instructor, before becoming a full-time mother of 2 children. I then created my own business as a full-time riding coach, also volunteering as an Ethics teacher in my local primary school.

I have always shared a deep connection with horses and through experiencing the richness of support that they have offered through difficult times, became interested in sharing this with others. Beginning to explore this and integrate the psychological support offered by horses into my work as a riding coach, I decided to pursue this further and discovered the Equine Psychotherapy Institute. EPI training is world class, and practitioners experience the work first hand and move through deep personal work as a part of the process. I am now a certified EAP practitioner with the EPI and a registered counsellor with the ACA.

 I am passionate about empowering people to discover their own unique path to fulfilment. I believe the space and support offered by horses, and the gentle affirming approach of Gestalt therapy are the ideal combination.

​I am Autistic and have a strong background  in neurodiversity and I am a neurodiversity-affirming therapist. I also specialise in working with women who have experienced domestic abuse.” 

 Over the 6 weeks, we will cover topics such as

·         What is Autism and the Neurodiversity paradigm

·         How to instil a positive mindset for CYP, their families and other systems around neurodiversity.

·         Writing strength-based goals

·         Brain care vs behaviour management

·         Co-regulation in the Therapeutic relationship

·         Meltdowns: the necessary cycle and the role of self -care and unconditional self-compassion

·         Why working outside is good for brain care

·         The benefits of rhythm, music, connection and creativity

·         PDA: what is PDA and how might it show up in child and young people

·         Neurodivergent distress behaviour and approaching PDA’ers in a way that is sensitive to their needs but also keeps everyone safe in those times where there are some non-negotiables in the paddock

·         The intersectionality of Autism and gender diversity

·         How do connections with nature and animals enhance emotional wellbeing for Autistic people

·         What can be helpful to manage energy levels in the day-to-day life of an Autistic person

·         What can horses teach us about processing emotions

·         How do horses/animals assist Autistic children learn about relationships with humans

·         How animals help co-regulate.

·         What are some of the challenges for Autistic people with verbal and non-verbal communication?

·         How does working with horses helped Autistic people feel valued, just as they are

·         Supporting non-speaking Autistic clients

What you’ll receive

·         9 hours of online group consultation, each session being record and provided to the group

·         6+ hours of content, around a range of topics relevant to supporting Autistic clients, delivered by Autistic Advocates from both Australia and overseas and life-time access to this content

·         Downloadable resources.

·         Certificate of Attendance

BOOKINGS: Please contact us at  admin@hvct.com.au , advising of your interest in this educational series and providing your full name, email address and which model of EAP/EAL you have completed your certification with.

We will then send you an invoice for the deposit. Please note that this invoice is due once you receive it, and your placement is not secured until the deposit has been paid.

Given the limited places in this series, if you haven’t paid your invoice within 1 week, your place will be offered to the next person on the waiting list

NDIS Report Writing

Group Consultation

Focus: Report Writing for NDIS Plan Reviews for registered and non-registered NDIS providers

• Saturday 11th March 10am - 12pm AEDT

• Delivered via Zoom

Who is this webinar for:

• Registered and non-registered NDIS providers, providing therapeutic support to NDIS clients under the Capacity Building category of Improved Daily living, including (but not limited to) social workers, psychologists, counsellors, art therapists and music therapists.

• Those looking for guidance around writing Reports for NDIS Plan Reviews

The key areas to be covered:

• Understanding what capacity building and functional capacity means within the NDIS

• The distinction between mental health and disability

• The essential elements required in Reports for NDIS Plan Reviews for participants with Capacity Building funding, including a report template

• An outline of the screening tools preferred by the NDIS to measure capacity and track progress

• Guidance around how to address NDIS goals, consult with the participant, address the ‘reasonable and necessary’ criteria and develop recommendations

What you will get:

• An adaptable template to use for NDIS Plan Review Reports

• Attendance at the zoom session, with space to ask questions at the end.

• Downloadable PDF of presentation

• Downloadable resources to further expand your knowledge in this area and assit with preparing quality reports for NDIS Plan Reviews

  The investment for the 120-minute webinar is $135 (inc GST) per practitioner.

EPI Masterclass - Offering the HorseWisdom Program to children and young people.

Saturday 18th February 10am - 12pm AEDT

• Delivered via Zoom

Who is this webinar for:

• Certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning Practitioners trained with the Equine Psychotherapy Institute of Australia

• Those currently studying Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning Practitioners with Equine Psychotherapy Institute of Australia

• In addittion to the above, those EAL/EAP practitioners looking to offer group programs for children. You will leave this presentation with enough information to easily develop a run-sheet for a two day program, including session delivery, materials required and psychoeducation that you can offer.

Due to the content of this presentation being based on The HorseWisdom Program, which is the intellectual property of The Equine Psychotherapy Institute of Australia and Meg Kirby, this tutorial is strictly limited to those who have completed or who are completing their certification with the EPI and will count towards your EPI CPD.

What you will learn:

• EPI theory of change and practice methodology overview

• Child-friendly approaches to 4 steps to regulation and safety guidelines

• Creativity and diverse creative experiments in HorseWisdom program (for 5-20 year olds) based on the 7 themes of the HorseWisdom program

• Different facilitation approaches - 'Holding Space Adult Facilitation' and ' Active Facilitation' approaches with children and adolescents

• How to make EAP and EAL Fun, playful and effective for young people!

What you will get:

• Attendance at the zoom session, with space to ask questions at the end

• Downloadable PDF of presentation, which includes details of each activity and experiment that is described.

Please note - This session will not be recorded, to support the privacy of those attending and to create a safe space for questions and reflective practice. However those who can’t make this day/time are welcome to purchase the pre-recorded version https://www.huntervalleychildrenstherapies.com/tutorials-resources which is available “on-demand” and includes a copy of the slides.

The investment for a 120-minute session is $89.00 (inc GST) per practitioner.

Online Group Consultation with Nadine + Summer

- Not Scheduled

Focus: Working with neurodiverse children and young people in EAP/EAL from an Autistic perspective

• Delivered via Zoom - Live

These sessions will be co-facilitated by Summer Farrelly, Animal Assisted Learning Program Creator and facilitator. Presenter, Autistic Consultant and Educator and Animal Therapies Ltd Youth Ambassador

Learn more about Summer at www.summerfarrelly.com.au

Nadine Delaney, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, EPI Certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapist and EPI approved Supervisor.

This is an opportunity to discuss complex clients/presentations, EAP/EAL questions about working with neurodiverse children and young people plus an opportunity to connect with other EAP/EAL practitioners.

Nadine has been consulting with Summer for a number of years now around improvements in delivery of Therapeutic support to Autistic clients in our practice. Summer has an incredible amount of insight and ability to connect with animals and personal experience with developing and delivering an AAL program, Chickens to Love. They have also been a participant in EAP and have a sophisticated and mature ability to explain an authentic Autistic perspective; from their perspective.

Summer and Nadine hope to combine their expertise and offer a rich learning experience for practitioners to share some of the challenges they are experiencing in their practices, celebrate the successes in supporting neurodiverse children and young people and deepen their knowledge around neurodiversity by offering an inclusive learning space.  

Maximum six practitioners. The investment for a 120-minute session is $165.00 (inc GST) per practitioner.

Group EAP/EAL Consultation - None Currently Scheduled

Focus: Working with children and young people in EAP/EAL

• Dates and times to be advised

• Delivered via Zoom

This is an opportunity to discuss complex clients/presentations, EAP/EAL questions about working with Autistic children and young people plus an opportunity to connect with other EAP/EAL practitioners.

Maximum six practitioners. The investment for a 120-minute session is $135.00 (inc GST) per practitioner.