What is
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy?
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a module of mental health treatment. You may have heard of animal assisted therapy where a dog or other animal might be present in a session.
It can be a little different for each provider but my approach is to incorporate a lot of talk therapy while we interact with the animals (the farm has goats too). The setting and the animals allow clients to feel relaxed and comfortable opening up. The animals give common ground for the therapist to develop rapport with the client. How the horses react to us lead to lots of different conversations about social skills and relationships. Clients also gain confidence in learning new skills with the horses and many report enjoying coming to therapy. They can choose to work on relationship skills with the horses and/or find comfort in them while talking about difficult topics. Additionally, many clients like to take walks through the property during their sessions. Sessions look very different for each client. Some spend more time with the horses than others and it all comes down to their interests and comfort level. No horse experience is required.
Frequenty Asked Questions
Do you ride horses in EAP?
No, we do not ride horses. We develop relationships with the horses during sessions and all our work with them is unmounted. The horses assist us in psychotherapy sessions by providing clients an opportunity to bond, self-reflect, practice reading body language, and feel more comfortable.
What do you do in the winter?
We are still outside! We can be outside with the horses year round if everyone dresses appropriately. Shepard Meadows has indoor therapy rooms that can be used if a client is uncomfortable being outside in extreme weather or just needs to warm up.
What should a client wear to a session?
Clients should wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Boots or old sneakers are recommended as it can get wet and muddy on the farm. Don’t wear anything that can’t get a little dirty.
Should clients see a traditional talk therapist as well?
That depends on circumstances of a client’s case. However, EAP sessions are performed by a licensed psychotherapist. The only difference in treatment is the setting and experiencing the benefits of horses and nature. Sessions are offered on a weekly basis, so if a client needs more support than that, an additional therapist is recommended. EAP can also be used as an adjunct therapy if appropriate and we will collaborate with other providers.