What is Equine Assisted Therapy?
Equine Assisted Psycotherapy
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is a proven experiential form of therapy. EAP has been compared to other experiential forms of therapy such as play therapy, adventure therapies, and art therapies.
However, EAP has the added element of a unique creature, the horse, who is a master at reading body language, intent, and emotion. The complete and honest feedback of the horse is the special ingredient that makes EAP so powerful.
A common question in EAP is “what are the horses doing?” In EAP, clients interact with the horses and then process the interaction with an equine specialist and mental health professional. Clients receive immediate and honest feedback from the horse, empowering them to learn new behaviors and accomplish their goals both in and outside the arena.
While there is time for clients to reflect on what they learn EAP is not a “talk therapy.” Instead, the primary feedback is provided by the horse. The natural behavior and characteristics of horses increase client self-awareness and ultimately lead to changes in behavior. Equine assisted psychotherapy has been shown to be an effective and brief treatment modality for a variety of presenting issues.