What is Equine Assisted Therapy?

What kind of therapy is it?

What kind of special training does the Equine healing Solutions staff have?

What is needed to conduct a session?

I am afraid of horses. Can I still benefit from this type of therapy?

Does Equine healing Solutions work with families or couples?

Is it like handicapped/therapeutic riding?

How does Equine Healing Solutions work with clients in an inpatient/residential facility or in a group home?

What should I wear?

What is Equine Assisted Therapy?
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an effective form of therapy designed to help people with a variety of behavioral and psychological challenges. Instead of the traditional office with a couch approach, EAP takes place within an arena or barn setting with horses, a mental health professional, and an equine professional.

Through structured and mutually-respectful activities, EAP utilizes the horse to both invoke response from our clients and act as mirror for their behavior. EAP is not play therapy, nor is it some existential experience. The therapist facilitates the session and monitors the client; the equine specialist monitors the horse to read and interpret the subtle ways the horse’s body language communicates comfort, discomfort, and incongruence in the presence of the client.

Using specific exercises and situations, and with the aid of the treatment team, EAP clients learns about themselves and others by processing the horse’s response and their own feelings, behaviors, and patterns during the session.

What kind of therapy is it?
Equine Assisted Therapy is experiential instead of solely intellectual, which makes it especially effective for treatment-resistant clients, or people having difficulty progressing within the parameters of traditional office therapy.

EAP shows how a person actually responds to difficult and challenging situations right now. The focus moves from the client-therapist relationship to the client’s relationship to the horse, and ultimately, themselves. What kind of life skills does the client utilize in tight or challenging situations? Is that response serving the client? Equine Assisted Therapy can be a powerful alternative to traditional talk therapy, or can simply provide insight the individual who is at a crossroads.

What kind of special training does the Equine healing Solutions staff have?
The therapists and equine specialists at Equine Healing Solutions are highly trained, both within their respective professions and by EAGALA, the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. Continuing education and training, and third-party supervision are an ongoing part of our educational process.

What is needed to conduct a session?
A typical session involves a client (or clients); a horse (or horses) who interact with the client; a Licensed Clinic Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Licensed marriage family therapist (LMFT) or
other mental health professional who facilitates the session; and an Equine Specialist who monitors the horse and his or her feedback.

What type of payment is accepted at Equine healing Solutions? Do you accept insurance?

Equine Healing Solutions is a fee for services and as a courtesy we will submit your claim to your insurance company for reimbursement. You are encouraged to check ahead with the insurance company to determine if you will be reimbursed for these services and to ask how much that reimbursement will be. Reimbursement rates vary depending on the company and type of plan. Payment for your session at Equine Healing Solutions is expected at the time of service.

I am afraid of horses. Can I still benefit from this type of therapy?
Absolutely! Working within Equine Healing Solutions supportive environment, it is your fear that may prove especially effective in breaking through old patterns and revealing important insights. No prior knowledge of horses and/or horsemanship is necessary.

Does Equine healing Solutions work with families or couples?
EAP is effective in revealing the dynamics between family members, work groups, and couples. Through the use of various group activities, you will come to understand the interplay of patterns, coping mechanisms, and behaviors that surround your relationships. And you’ll have the opportunity to modify those behaviors as you work with our horses and each other.

Is it like handicapped/therapeutic riding?
While therapeutic riding focuses on the physical benefits of horseback riding for the client, Equine Assisted Therapy focuses on helping the client in areas such as building communication skills, setting appropriate boundaries, managing anger, and other emotional/internal issues. 95% of the therapy takes place on the ground although their may be times a client will be on the back of a horse.

How does Equine Healing Solutions work with clients in an inpatient/residential facility or in a group home?
We feel the most ideal and productive way to conduct Equine Assisted Therapy is at the Equine healing Solutions facility, where we have access to the proper environment, tools, and individual horses that give us the most flexibility in any situation

What should I wear?
Dress comfortably! And dress to fit the weather. Due to our Hot summers and chilly winters Mississippi’s climate can be unpredictable we advise dressing in layers. Sessions might start out at one temperature, but become much cooler or warmer as the sessions progress.