# Equine Assisted Psychotherapy



## faiza425 (Dec 21, 2012)

Looking for a little more information on the subject of equine assisted psychotherapy. What exactly is it, and how does one become qualified to do it?

In my limited understanding, equine assisted therapy uses the horse as a biofeedback machine to give the client and therapist information about their mental state.

Is it always therapists teaming up with an equine specialist, or is it one person who understands the horse and therapy aspect?

I work at a therapeutic barn as a riding instructor, but this is different in the sense that it's all groundwork, correct? How would a session be set up for a client?

I've seen a few different things where you can get certified through EAGALA and PATH. Has anyone been certified through either? Wouldn't one need some sort of degree as well? What sort of background education and experience with horses are necessary? 

Is this be something that is just used as a supplement to traditional therapy? Could a person specialize in just EAP, without being a 'regular' therapist as well?

Is it a growing discipline, with job openings and clients willing to try it? 

Thanks in advance!


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## hollysjubilee (Nov 2, 2012)

In a nutshell, equine psychotherapy and other equine facilitated learning programs help the client learn to trust humans and improve relationships and increase learning through the bond with the horse. Think of it as a triangle, with the horse being at the top . . . and the client being on one point of the triangle at the bottom, but not having connection with the therapist or other people who would be at the opposite point at the bottom . . . and the client connects with the horse which leads to a connection with other people, so that eventually, the client can connect directly with people.

Some of the organizations that have good info:

EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association):
http://www.eagala.org/
P.A.T.H. International: (particularly their Equine Services for Heroes)
PATH INTERNATIONAL
Horses for Heroes: Horses For Heroes
and many private organizations, some connected through the above listed groups, at:
https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=equine+assisted+learning&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002

Years ago, I attended a couple of conferences in Temple, NH, at Pony Farm. Boo McDaniel had a program called HORSE POWER (which, I think, is still operational) and she hosted the first national conferences for Equine Facilitated Mental Health which, at that time, was not an organization. At the time the first conferences were held, insurance would not cover for Equine Psychotherapy because there was not proof that it was contact with the horses that actually helped bring healing to the clients. This made it difficult for low-income clients to afford the sessions with horses, and many of the barns could not afford to maintain horses to provide free services. Before scientific proof was accumulated, it was reasoned that the improvement in the clients might have been due to contact with caring individuals, time spent outdoors in nature, etc., and not specifically, time spent with the horses. Years, later, there was finally enough scientific proof to show that the contact with the horses was actually a way of healing for many clients, so that, now, a client can get a prescription/recommendation for treatment through equine therapy.

Hippotherapy, on the other hand, had scientifically proven to be helpful as a kind of physical therapy for patients with injuries, missing limbs, cerebral palsy, and other physically limiting conditions, particularly those that required a patient to be in a wheelchair.

It's a very rewarding field of work. Good for you


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I'm involved in EAGALA, but I'm am not yet certified and probably will never be as it is LENGTHY and costly! 

in short.... There is an "Equine specialist" or ES and a mental health professional or MH. No, you CANNOT be both. They both work with one of multiple clients using one to mulitple equines. Basically how it works is the horses are almost a mirror image to the human. A good, real life, example would taking a drug addict and asking him to build a obstical course that resembles his life. Toss hay, carrots and grain buckets all over it. Pair him up with the resident horse who has no problem with dragging people all over creation for a blade of grass. Boom, client gets a first hand look on how difficult it has been for his family to get him to rehab, and off course there are dozens of other ways he could interpreted the situation. You can even do team build exercises with groups of people and watch the dynamics unfold. It's pretty neat to see. 

I've really seen and heard of a lot of neat "break through" moments, even just in practice sessions. 

Some things people tend to not like about doing this type of stuff is that the model tells you to not interfere with the process. Of course you have to select horses who are fit for the job and who work well together, but your clients WILL put themselves in positions you don't feel comfortable with. One time we had this group of at risk boys chasing horses so hard one ended up jumping out of the arena. In the end it turn out to be a good lesson for the group, but still, it was nerve wracking to watch those horses galloping and galloping around. Oh, and of course there will be "bad" behavior, like not coming off the grass, horses running away from clients, etc. which people have to learn to be ok with as EAP is NOT a training session. It's strictly about therapy and it's always done on the ground.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

hollysjubilee said:


> Boo McDaniel had a program called HORSE POWER (which, I think, is still operational) and she hosted the first national conferences for Equine Facilitated Mental Health which, at that time, was not an organization.


Yep, Boo and Pony Farm/Horse Power are still going strong. They are still a premier accredited facility and host instructor certifications for the various certifications PATH offers.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

The certifications through PATH are similar to what SlideStop described for EAGALA. 

Through PATH, you can be certified as an equine specialist in mental health- but you are _not _a licensed psychologist or therapist. To be the latter, you'd have to have the education and training, and complete the licensure requirements of your state. Now, a licensed psychologist/therapist may still be interested in the training for the equine specialist in mental health if they want to learn the equine part. But, they are two different things.

This is the overview of how to pursue certification for Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) through PATH: http://www.pathintl.org/images/pdf/...TH-Intl-ESMHL-Certification-Booklet-07-15.pdf
I do not hold this certification, but the Executive Director of the program where I am a therapeutic riding instructor just completed this cert last year (in addition to being a PATH registered instructor). It has allowed us to create a couple of new programs for at-risk middle school students.

OP, not sure where you are in NY, but if you're in the southern part of the state, places like HorseAbility (Old Westbury, NY) or High Hopes (Old Lyme, CT) have extensive programs and often host the certification workshops so you may consider reaching out to either of them to schedule a visit.

And yes, I do think this is a growing discipline. There is so much funding coming into the field now as veterans participate in large numbers in therapeutic riding and other equine-assisted activities (the broader umbrella under which equine assisted psychotherapy and equine assisted experiential learning fall). It seems like in the past couple of years, there is growing interest in these experiences for individuals with PTSD. PATH is really promoting the ESMHL certification-the cynical read could be that's just because people are willing to pay to do it, but I think the growth of the certification is because growth in the field is real.


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## pamequus (Aug 17, 2015)

faiza425 Wrote: 
What exactly is it, and how does one become qualified to do it?

In my limited understanding, equine assisted therapy uses the horse as a biofeedback machine to give the client and therapist information about their mental state.

Is it always therapists teaming up with an equine specialist, or is it one person who understands the horse and therapy aspect?
**********************************************
I entered the equine assisted field in 1998 and took the Eagala training in Oct 1999 after studying with Dr. Joanne Moses of Tucson Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Associates (TAAPA). I then hosted an Eagala training in Oct 2000 and began working with a therapist. I am the horse specialist. I worked with another therapist for seven years with her private clients as well as doing equine assisted personal growth workshops. 

It really depends on what population you want to work with. I am taking a wonderful course on teaching reading utilizing the Eagala model. I believe this approach with schools can help children in a myriad of ways, but most importantly is something the schools can reap a benefit from on their bottom lines: testing scores. Thus bringing funding. Important.

I also believe that the relationship with the horse is very important in the healing, making them much more than a biofeedback experience (as most horse folks know). This is the belief of the Jobes at Natural Lifemanship in their TF-EAP (Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy).

So there is a lot out there to choose from and picking the need in your area or the call of your heart for your population to serve is a good first step.

One of the best training places in the nation IMHO is Strides to Success in Indiana where they have a blend of PATH & Eagala models. HorseWork Workshops - Strides to Success Strides to Success You will come away with a ton of helpful information.

PATH teaches people how to do EFP as horse helpers. 
Equine Specialist
I have a colleague who is a therapist who works alone in the PATH model. She is also a good horsewoman who has ridden for years and knows her stuff.

So yes, some work alone. PATH and Eagala are the most widely known, but are not all that is out there to choose from.

Hope this helps.


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