Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
What is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)?
In EAP, licensed mental health professionals work with certified equine specialists to assist clients recovering from PTSD, substance abuse, trauma, depression, and other psychological issues. Therapy horses bring emotional relief and insights to veterans, at-risk youth, recovering addicts, women escaping from sex trafficking, and others, helping them to grow in a safe, respectful environment.
Program Details
During EAP sessions, clients interact with horses under the supervision of a mental health professional and an equine specialist. The horses are free and unhindered (there is no riding during these sessions), allowing them and clients to relate to one another in their own way, at their own pace. This model creates space for clients to reflect, project, and make deep connections as they address their psychological problems.
Horses are ideal for this kind of therapy because they live in the present, and encourage you to inhabit the present with them. They are deeply aware of their surroundings, instinctively analyzing and reacting to our body language and other nonverbal cues.
Horses’ attentive and soothing demeanor promotes self-awareness and well-being, helping clients overcome communication barriers in ways that are not always possible in traditional therapy. Additionally, the act of relating to a 1,000-pound animal provides a useful model for facing other big and overwhelming challenges in life.
At Stride Ahead, our mental health professionals and equine specialists have undergone intensive hands-on training, assessment, and mentorship under guidelines developed by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (Eagala). Eagala is the premier organization providing professional standards for incorporating horses into mental health treatment.
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