Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy
Adolescence has always been a challenge. It’s tough for teens, for parents, for the entire family that is trying to adjust to the changes happening with one individual.
Conflict, distance, and silence may have become the new normal. You’re seeing some cracks in relationships that once felt so connected and secure.
Growing up is supposed to mean coming into your own, individuating, and finding your identity. It is almost never an easy process—“growing pains” is a well known phrase for a reason!
This last year+ of disruption and isolation, however, has made what was once tricky into something that feels impossible.
This story of friction between parents and their teens is as old as human civilization.
What if there was a new way to heal and (re)build connections?
Equine Facilitated Therapy offers a way into people’s thoughts, fears, and dreams in a way that traditional talk therapy often cannot. This is particularly true for adolescents who may find it hard to open up to adults.
What’s so different about a therapy session at the barn?
Though we may talk a lot about the power of the present moment, horses embody the present moment. Without a word, a horse can teach what it’s like to get still and simply be. In this hyper-connected yet deeply disconnected time, this sort of experience is rare, valuable, and potential life-altering.
The presence of a horse, at once so gentle and so powerful, has a way of helping teens get grounded and reconnect to their bodies, their breath, and the world around them.
Being in nature, attuning to an animal, and processing feelings and experiences beyond the four walls that have held everyone in for so long can make a deep, lasting difference in a teen’s life.
Who can benefit from Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy?
Parents come to me seeking therapy for their teenagers because they’re concerned about changes they see in their child’s attitude and behavior.
Sometimes, a crisis has caused a sudden transformation. Sometimes, things have been building up over time and it’s clear that it’s time for some outside help. Often, families have “tried everything” and are looking for a new approach that will invite their child to open up and express their needs and struggles.
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy is a trauma-informed approach to healing. The work we do in sessions can help get to the root of teens’ anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and relationship issues.
We may start with 1:1 work and invite other family members to session over time. Our herd of horses has their own set of unique, complex relationships and can help hold space for you and your loved ones as you navigate your own relationships with one another.
What does an Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy session look like?
EFP requires no experience with horses and does not involve horseback riding. The vast majority of work is done with both feet on the ground.
Every session will look a little different and will be structured in response to a number of variables: the clients’ comfort level with horses, the weather, and the horses’ moods (part of the power of EFP is in learning to respond to and get comfortable with how we can’t always control the way the horse participates in the session!)
Sometimes, we may simply stand at the side of the fence and observe the herd. Other sessions may involve touching, grooming, or leading a horse. Because the barn property is so beautiful and so many teens need more intimate experiences with nature, our sessions can also include walks in the small forest that surrounds the pastures.