Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy & Learning

So you have tried talk therapy…

… and did not get anywhere. You tried not doing therapy, and that wasn’t right either. We know that something is wrong in your world. Maybe you can feel it – your friends tell you, your work shows it, your schoolwork has declined, and your focus and attention have decreased. Your relationship problems are the worse they have ever been. You’re angry, and sometimes you don’t even know why or how to not get to that point!

“A horse is a horse, of course, of course…”

But studies have shown that a horse isn’t only a horse.

Getting out of bed and going to work is the only decision you can make some days.

What if you had the chance to gain many skills and feel different things without doing a thing?

Furthermore, maybe you can spend time moving with a horse or asking a horse to walk with you? How about guiding a horse stepping over a pole, hula hoop, or through a gate to an open arena?

These activities and many other activities you may think of are ways of interacting with horses to develop and support a host of skills. To have something that does not communicate the way we communicate and does as we ask works through a relationship and trust. This is an experiential type of therapy.

The change does not come from talking – it comes from the experience of doing and being with the horses, and having the experience of having a horse move or go with you is empowering. Finding a way to make that happen makes you think in ways you had not considered. You’re working with another living creature that is also reacting to what you are doing. This is a relationship.

Equine Therapy sounds like a magic pill for what ails you, doesn’t it?

Horses are giant biofeedback machines. They have strong survival instincts, which allow them to recognize and interpret human emotions.

During an equine-assisted learning session, the focus of attention is on the horse. More so, you are not asked to reveal anything; instead, you’ll work with the horse to accomplish tasks.

These tasks can be spending time with the horses and introducing yourself to them as you would a human being. This means going up to introduce yourself however you think is fitting.

You may also spend some time “grooming” or “ brushing” the horses. I’ll ask you to notice what the horses are doing and what comes up for you. I may also ask you to create a representation of something going on in your life using the horse during the interaction. The possibilities are limitless.

As you work with the horse, you’ll explore and experiment with different ways of thinking about your life’s challenges and goals.

Maybe you feel you have nothing – that you are no longer worth much.

But then you come out and spend some time with the horses. He’s warm and soft and comes to you and just wants to stand next to you. He does not ask a lot of questions. He will go with you if you ask. He will nudge you with his head as if to say, “It’s okay.”

You build something that you think is super scary, and he doesn’t mind. He walks right through and isn’t afraid. “Wow… maybe I don’t have to be afraid.”

It can be the beginning of moving away from depression or anxiety. It’s a step to seeing the world differently. This can be the catalyst to help make talk therapy more effective.

The horse’s reactions to us are always honest and provide instant feedback on how the horse feels about the interaction. This interaction is the catalyst to change. It is through this experience that you can experience change.

Equine-assisted learning is a more structured approach to equine therapy.

Like equine-assisted psychotherapy, the horse remains the focus and the catalyst for change. With equine-assisted learning, though, you’re given more specific instructions, tasks, and directions.

The learning or activities side of this is more directive. Furthermore, you will still work with horses, but you will be given more directions on what you will need to accomplish in each session. These sessions are more educational or directive. They are often helpful for programs such as team building or in classrooms or group settings. The same principles as with therapy apply; however, the directions for what to do, such as building or creating something, are more often used.

Learning sessions include working on a specific area of team building, relationships, confidence. For example, in a therapy session, the directions would be minimal and open-ended. In a learning session, the directions are specific and directive.

You have a wonderful partner for equine therapy in Powhatan, VA

Equine-assisted psychotherapy has been around since the ancient Greeks. Hippocrates often considered the father of medicine, wrote of the therapeutic benefits of riding.

If you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, or trauma, come spend some time with a horse. You’ll be amazed at how they’ll leave you feeling empowered and capable!

Ready to get started with Equine Therapy in Powhatan, VA?

Your childhood was crap. With therapy at Gray Horse Counseling, your future doesn’t have to be. I work with adults who have dysfunctional families (family life). When you were a kid, your family life sucked. So, you’ve adapted to behave at home and out in public very differently. This “split” that worked so well for you as a child is no longer working. How do you live a more congruent life? How do you deal with that internal conflict?

You want to be more authentic in your connections, but this internalized trauma response keeps holding you back. I get it. Your childhood was crap and you didn’t get a chance to truly figure out who you are. It wasn’t safe to be YOU anywhere. Now, this is affecting your relationships, friendships, work relationships, family life, children, how you feel about yourself, all of it.

Back then, you didn’t get to tell anyone. As an online therapist in Virginia, I get to be that person for you. Maybe how you ended up coping with this childhood trauma led to an anxiety disorder, chronic depression, and unmanageable addiction. Let me be clear, there is no right or wrong way to cope. But, these coping skills are no longer serving you the same way they used to. So, let’s figure it out. Consider online therapy in Virginia, individual or group therapy, Let’s get this stuff figured out so you can finally live a better life. Today is the day. What are you waiting for? Contact me now.​