 Healing
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy is practiced with a therapy team: a mental health professional,
an equine professional and a horse or horses. Sessions with individuals, couples, families or groups
are held at a local horse farm to provide a unique opportunity for emotional, psychological and spiritual healing.
EquHeart's 10 - 14 session Integrated Relationship Development Model can be applied to individual, couple,
family or group therapy, and is particularly suited to clients who have received previous therapy in an
outpatient private practice setting.
Each session:
| accomplishes a specific therapeutic goal through equine activities
helps clients develop healthy relationship skills and team building
encourages insight, growth and change by focusing on the therapeutic and powerful
communication between horse and human through body language and cognitive and emotional processes.
incorporates the more mysterious and spiritual aspects of equine behavior as they relate to relationship dynamics.
uses extensive photography throughout each session and in the discussion and processing time. |
Treatment of Post Traumatic Symptoms
This Interactive Group Psychotherapy is a 12 session program, each session consisting of a two hour dynamic experience that includes:
| group processing
guided equine activities that address therapeutic goals specific to trauma recovery |
The emphasis of treatment is on:
| Rehabilitation and recovery of the cognitive, emotional, physical and spiritual abilities necessary
to re-build and maintain safe, healthy relationships following the experience of trauma. |
|
|
Enrichment
Personal Growth Groups and Equine Experiential Learning for women, men,
children, and couples can be customized to meet specific needs on topics such as:
| Personal Empowerment
Creating Confidence
Strengthening Self-Esteem
Easing Power Struggles
Discovering Creative Potential
Problem Solving Strategies
Less-Stress Parenting |
Our signature workshop "Experiencing
EquiHeart" is a weekend retreat incorporating all the aspects of the
EquiHeart Model to:
| enhance self-awareness
release barriers to experiencing one's full potential
increase confidence and establish realistic personal goals
experience a sense of accomplishment in one's ability to communicate effectively to get needs met
provide a safe, supportive community in which to try new behaviors without judgment |
|
|
Achievement
|
Leadership and Management Training Seminars –
“Success Through the Spirit of the Horse.”
Managers, trainees, corporate executives, and employees are challenged by
activities with horses that enhance
cooperation, team-building, assertiveness, problem-solving,
conflict resolution and effective communication.
This format can be adapted for use with teens in leadership building workshops,
and family therapy to develop team work and cooperation.
|
Research
A Reseach Project has been ongoing for the past 6 years and it continues
as we evaluate the effectiveness of Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP).
Preliminary results from the pilot study, in which pre and post session measures were taken,
show a statistically significant reduction in anxiety and depression and
a significant increase in feeling accomplished and the perception of having successful relationship skills.
The current study is a comparison of the effectiveness of EFP
with the effectiveness of traditional office psychotherapy.
Very strong reliability of the EquiHeart
self-report assessment tool has been established;
and establishment of validity is underway.
Training
Training and Supervision workshops
for Mental Health Professionals and Equine Professionals
are scheduled throughout the year and are listed on this website.
Individual and small group supervision is also available
Internships and Apprenticeships can be arranged,
as well as phone consultation and supervision.
|
|
