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Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an
emerging field in which horses are used as
a tool for emotional growth and learning.
EAP is a collaborative effort between a
mental health therapist and a horse
professional working with the clients and
horses to address treatment
goals.
 EAP
is experiential in nature. This means that
participants learn about themselves and
others by participating in activities with
the horses, and then processing (or
discussing) feelings, behaviors, and
patterns.
What
kind of problems does EAP
help?
- Anxiety
- Asperger's Disorder
- Attachment Issues
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Behavioral Issues
- Bullies
- Child Abuse/Neglect
- Communication Problems
- Depression
- Divorce/Absent Parents
- Grief
- Issues Related to Truancy
- Lack of Direction
- Learning Difficulties
- Low Self Esteem
- Poor Social Skills
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Relationship Issues
- Substance Abuse
- Trauma
Other
Benefits
Education
and practical application of critical
skill sets, including:
- Conflict
resolution
- Communication
- Anger
Management
- Problem
Solving
Non-traditional
environment creates possibility for new
interaction: "It doesn't feel like
counseling"
Goals
- Decrease
of Intrapersonal Distress
- Decrease
of Somatic Distress
- Cooperative
Interpersonal Demeanor
- Absence
of Critical Items
- Decrease
in Social Problematic
Behaviors
- Decrease
in Behavior Dysfunction
Equine
Assisted Psychotherapy
Facts
- Clients
find EAP more interesting than talk
therapy
- EAP
keeps clients on task and
engaged
- Clients
are more willing to attend sessions and
interact in the process
- The
horses provide immediate feedback on
which behaviors work and which
don't
- The
sessions create metaphors that
illuminate situations encountered in
life and help make changes in attitude
as well as behavior
- The
horses provide emotional support and
bonds that are helpful in the therapy
process
- The
sessions help both clients and
therapists get to the root of the
problems much more quickly
- The
sessions provide clients the ability to
express and communicate in ways that
traditional therapies do
not
Services Available
- Individual Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Couples Counseling
- Group Counseling
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