Horses make great models for human behavior because they intuitively know how to keep themselves safe in their world. As herd animals, their very life depends on it! Horses are experts at living in the moment. They work when it is required of them and can completely enjoy eating, playing, and chilling the rest of the time. They are not worried about the future or stuck in the past. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is helpful for recovering addicts, children, and others who may be able to recognize the emotions they are feeling.
How EAP Works
Horses are nonverbal and non-judgmental yet are masters of communication. As herd animals, sensing the emotions of others in the herd and reacting immediately is a survival instinct. In EAP, the horse naturally senses and reflects their partner’s emotions, even if the human partner is blocked from recognizing them. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy pairs each client with a horse to work through activities and exercises together. By observing how clients interact with their horse and how the horse responds to the client, the therapist learns about unhelpful patterns and limiting beliefs that may be keeping people from moving in the direction they desire. EAP can help clients gain deeper access to their emotional processing, private, inner thoughts, and interactions with others. Working with horses increases self-awareness, the key to all meaningful change.
Learn more about EAP here.