Over the past few days, I have received several enquiries about the couples retreat predominately about equine assisted therapy (EAT). It appears that EAT is not as widely understood, even within the professional community, so I thought I would provide a very simplistic guide. Please note that this is very much a layman’s guide, and it is not intended to be an in-depth analytical piece, so for all those EAT aficionados out there please bare this in mind.
As you all know I am not a clinician, but then again neither are our clients and often they require an explanation that meets them at this level.
Accounts of horses' curative physical, emotional and psychosocial qualities emerged as far back as 5 B.C. In the writings of Hippocrates, he describes ‘hippotherapy' (horse therapy), so EAT is not new by any means and it is important to understand that EAT is not some new fad!
EAT is a type of therapy that uses horses to help people grow physically, emotionally, and occupationally. It's an experiential treatment that involves working with a specially trained equine therapist and horses in a safe and structured environment. It is important to understand that EAT does not require horse riding or any previous experience of horses for the individuals involved in the sessions and if you don't want to - you don't even have to touch the horse.
At a very basic level individuals undertaking EAT learn about themselves and others through activities with the horses and by discussing their feelings, behaviours, and patterns.
EAT can help people:
· Discover more about themselves
· Develop new ways of thinking
· Change negative behaviours
· Express emotions and feelings, often inaccessible via traditional talking therapies
· Develop skills like communication, self-control, problem solving, and accountability
· Improve their well-being, quality of life, trust, self-efficacy, and self-esteem
· Open up to and deal with unresolved trauma
Plus, the very fact of being in nature can promote positive mental health and wellbeing, mindfulness, perspective on life and grounding. Furthermore, being around horses can give people a sense of connectedness, humility, and contentment.
So Why Are Horses Helpful, And Why Are They Helpful In Couple’s Therapy?
When people first hear about EAT and couples work, the first question is usually - why horses? There are several reasons for this, including the following:
Because Of Their Size
As horses are large and powerful animals, they can be intimidating. For some people, this presents them with a challenge as soon as they start EAT - to overcome this fear. Combating this initial issue can be incredibly liberating and helps to boost feelings of confidence and self-esteem. Accomplishing tasks and gaining the trust of such animals only continues to reinforce these feelings of empowerment. The issue of boundaries also arises when dealing with the horse’s size and power. Horses have clear boundaries, which they assert freely with each other and with us. Learning to attune to a horse’s subtle and sometimes not so subtle boundary cues has the potential to further increase awareness of one’s own physical and emotional boundaries, which is key in navigating relationships.
Because They Are Herd Animals
Horses are herd animals, which means they naturally desire company. This makes them very social animals that want to create bonds - and this can be especially poignant when it comes to humans working on relationship issues. They often provide opportunities for learning about relationships, including mutual trust and respect. Horses, like many animals are unconditional in their connection and non-judgmental. Connecting with a horse can act as a bridge to connecting with people, which is essential in relationships.
Because They Mirror Behaviour
Horses have an innate ability to mirror the thoughts and behaviours of others, they can read body language and respond instantly. Horses are highly attuned to their environment in order to ensure their safety, which is what makes them intuitive and emotionally sensitive to the slightest gesture, body posture, tone of voice, or glance that as humans we unknowingly communicate. They respond to our non-verbal behaviours and feelings through their body language, which can be subtle or overt. They have the potential to teach us how we impact those around us. It is this trait that helps clients reflect on their behaviour and challenge the way they approach situations both inside and outside of EAT, which in looking at relationships is a key factor.
Because They Have Their Own Personality
Horses can be incredibly human in their personalities - they can be stubborn and seemingly defiant at times. They also like to have fun but can be incredibly caring too, and if you are upset, they often respond in a nurturing manner. These personality traits once again make horses a natural companion during the therapeutic process, providing vast opportunities for growth and to relate to clients in a manner no therapist can.
Because They Can Help Address Underlying Issues
As a rule, we behave in the way we do due to past experiences and in many cases, we are not even conscious of this. For example, it is not uncommon for controlling behaviour to be present in relationships, often this this is rooted in childhood trauma. This being the case survivors of childhood trauma are often very focussed on being able to control their present environment because they were not able to control their environment when they were traumatised. As Gabor Maté says “trauma is not what happens to you; it is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you”. EAT has an innate way of bringing to the surface underlying issues which once present can then be dealt with – a process that is often inaccessible through traditional talking therapies. Dealing with the past has a direct result on the present and the future so it is an important element in dealing with relationship issues.
What Happens In EAT?
All sessions are managed by a highly experienced equine therapist. In BTB’s case this is Prof Dr Andreas Liefooghe. A life-long horseman, and a professor of psychology and psychotherapy, Andreas founded Operation Centaur, Europe’s foremost centre of equine-assisted psychotherapy and works in partnership with the rest of the BTB team.
Sessions Happen On The Ground
Sessions involve no horseback riding. This is so the horses can be themselves and not have to act a certain way and are also free to come and go as they please. Similarly, clients are under no pressure to be anything other than themselves. This is a space for clients to explore being themselves, and to build relationships on an equal footing.
Through a series of sessions, clients will be guided through the process of connection with their horse and the herd that involves spending time with the horses and can include activities including grooming, handling and leading and other tasks which require the client to apply certain skills such as non-verbal communication, assertiveness, emotional regulation, creative thinking, problem solving, leadership, teamwork, relationship skills, confidence and several others. At times couples will be set simple tasks to complete together.
Clients will spend time interacting with the horses, making reflections on roles, relationships, patterns of behaviour etc. Sessions may involve constructing/creating structures to represent important times/processes/events for the individual with the horse’s reaction to and interaction with the structure being explored. Throughout, clients will be encouraged to acknowledge the feelings that arise within themselves, perhaps affection and joy at times, frustration or fear at others. As individuals monitor their feelings, they will be helped to also monitor the horse’s responses, and from this interplay they will unearth truths about themselves and how to move forwards.
For example, on the first day individuals will be introduced to the herd of horses and asked which one they feel drawn to. This simple task can say so much just from the outset. One client was drawn to a horse that was standing away from the rest of the herd. This was a horse that at that time wasn’t fitting in with the other horses, which hit home for the client, who went on to say that they felt isolated from their partner and their children. During this crucial and emotional moment, the horse, seemed to sense that his new friend needed him, and wandered over and rested his head against them. I will not go into the full details what happened next, but you can imagine a lot of tears for everyone – and this was just on day 1.
BTB’s next 7 day couples retreat is on Oct 5th 2024 so please call on +44 7496 883214 or e-mail on karenl@bespoketreatmentbarbados.com for further information.
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