Animals can help people feel better in a lot of different ways. Aside from the loving relationship many of us have with our pets, animals are sometimes utilized in therapy to help clients deal with difficult emotional situations. People do things like brushing, trying to feed, and leading a horse while a professional in mental health watches. In equine-assisted psychotherapy and Private eal sessions, horses are used as part of the therapy.
The goals of this type of therapy include helping people learn how to control their emotions, have self-confidence, and take care of themselves. Since a full-grown horse can weigh anywhere from 900 to 2,000 pounds or more, it might be a little scary to have such a big, beautiful animal in your therapy sessions.
Who can Use It
Equine-assisted psychotherapy, or Private eal sessions, can be used with many people and in many therapy settings. Horses can be used to help people of all ages and sizes, as well as families and groups.
EAP is very different from traditional talk therapy because it takes people outside and lets them use all of their senses while learning and working through emotional problems.
Kids and teenagers
Equine-assisted therapy might work just as well with kids and teens as it does with adults. Children can have problems like trauma, fear, depression, PTSD, and more, just like adults can.
Equine therapy gives them a place to heal that can feel less scary and more welcoming than a traditional therapy office. Most children who take part in EAP are between 6 and 18.
Young kids often find it hard to talk about and deal with painful feelings and events. Equine-assisted therapy lets young people and people of all ages work on problems like
- Assertiveness
- Confidence
- Building and keeping up relationships
- Knowing how you feel
- Empathy
- Impulse control
- Problem-solving skills
- Social skills
- Believe in people
- Trust in self
Benefits
Horses have unique qualities that make them the best choice for animal-assisted therapies. Dr Robin Zasio, an expert on anxiety, says that horses bring to cure the following things that no other animal can.
1- Feedback and Seeing Yourself
Horses are good at watching what’s happening around them and are attentive and sensitive to movement and feelings. Therefore, in Private eal sessions, they often act or feel like their clients do or feel, which shows understanding and connection and makes the client feel safe.
So, This also helps clients stay aware of themselves by utilizing horses’ actions and reactions as feedback and chances to check in with themselves and figure out what is going on in the moment.
2- Not biased and not judging
Even though people, especially therapists, do their best to provide a safe place for clients to talk about their severe psychological hurts and uncomfortable experiences, it can be challenging to share their thoughts openly.
Having the horse may give the client peace since the horse will only react to the client’s actions and feelings and won’t be biased or judge their feelings.
3- Managing Vulnerability
When a client tries to talk about emotional problems, past events, or changes in their lives, they may feel vulnerable. The horse can be a point of reference for processing.
If something is too painful to talk about, using the animal as an example or matching the client’s experience with what the horse is going through can help them work through it. Putting the content on the outside can be easier to deal with and understand.
4- Soothe and calm the nervous system
A 2016 study found that animals can help calm the nervous system, which is one reason why animal-assisted therapies can be so helpful. Therefore, In Private eal sessions, Contact with animals may increase feel-good hormones (called endorphins) and help calm a nervous system that is overstimulated and stressed.
5- Encourage healthy bonds
People can learn and relearn how to form healthy relationships by spending time with animals like horses.
Trauma and other mental health problems can make it hard for us to connect with and care about others. Clients may be able to “transfer” the valuable lessons they learn and the strong bonds they form with horses or other animals to their relationships with other people as adults. Horses are friendly and are very aware of their feelings and their surroundings. They can teach people how to feel connected.
As the participants become more accountable for the horses, they may also feel they have more to do.
6- Grow social learning and relationships
People who have experienced trauma or who are dealing with other mental health issues may also feel socially alienated and more fearful about the future.
Those with social anxiety may find that being around horses or other animals makes them feel more at ease.
- explore your self-perception
- learn how to act with other people.
- You don’t have to worry about anything if you tell people how you feel.
Looking at how they behave with horses, one may infer how they might feel.
Things to think about
There are some things to think about if you or someone you care about wants to try equine-assisted therapy. Always think about your Private eal sessions ability and health as a whole. Before you try equine treatment, talk to your doctor if you have scoliosis, spina bifida, or another back problem.
- Fear: Animal therapy is to help people with anxiety, but a client may fear being near a big horse and not want to go to this kind of therapy. There could also be a bad memory with an animal that would make someone not want to participate.
- Timing: EAP may or may not be the right choice depending on the client’s problems. For instance, before receiving the benefits of equine-assisted therapy, an addict must take the necessary steps to detox and ensure that they are following the proper treatment plan.
Conclusion
Equine-assisted psychotherapy and Private eal sessions are complementary treatments involving interacting with horses and are backed by research. Therefore, It’s a team effort between the person taking part, the therapist, and the equine expert.
This kind of therapy can help several mental health and medical conditions. Also, Practices like grooming, petting, and other group and individual activities that are fun and talk therapy techniques to help you express your feelings and thoughts more freely.
