Psychotherapy Integrating Equine Services

History of EAP

Equine assisted psychotherapy was first used as a formal practice by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) in 1969 and was aimed primarily at those with physical disabilities. Hippotherapy, as it became known, is currently utilized all over the world in populations where there are neurological challenges (i.e., cerebral palsey, muscular dystrophy, and PTSD or TBI). The mental and emotional benefits of horse-involved psychotherapy have gained wide-spread recognition, and the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) began offering certification in equine-facilitated psychotherapy in 1999. Six years later, the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA) published national standards for mental health professionals wishing to utilize equine assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of their clients.

Much of this therapeutic model (the Natural Lifemanship's trauma-enformed equine assisted psychotherapy model) revolves around monitoring the client’s biofeedback and the horse’s responses to their emotional state. The majority of EAP practice takes place on the ground rather than on the back of a horse.  Clients often simply interact with their chosen horse.  Clients may choose to brush a horse’s mane, engage the horse in a walk to a particular location, or clean the horse's hooves.  If the client is calm and collected, these tasks will be relatively easy. If the client is anxious, hostile, or experiencing any other strong negative emotion, the horse may be hesitant or even outright resistant to engage. Equine assisted psychotherapy is typically integrated into a more standard form of psychotherapy.  It is considered is highly beneficial for individuals battling with addiction, as well as anyone wanting to learn more about themselves and the repetitive relational patterns in which they find themselves--  despite one's desire for change.

Overall Benefits

Just like us, horses experience a variety of emotions.  They are intuitive and social animals with distinct personalities, attitudes, and moods. They have defined roles within their herds comparable to that of human dynamics in social contexts.  Most importantly, horses mirror exactly what human body language is telling them.  If you're impatient, the horse becomes impatient.  It is this connection that offers us the ability to gain insight and evoke change in our lives.  The horse-human relationship can teach us about attunement, self-awareness, healthy boundaries, honest communication, authenticity, patience, assertiveness, affection, and so much more. The primary goal of equine assisted psychotherapy is for individuals to increase self-awarenes, self-undersanding and to work through some of their personal issues in the process.