“Empathy is really the opposite of spiritual meanness. It's the capacity to understand
that every war is both won and lost. And
that someone else's pain is as meaningful
as your own.”// Barbara Kingsolver
EFP + EAL
There is a movement towards nature-based, equine and animal-assisted psychotherapy as an alternative to traditional talk therapy modalities. Medically, studies have shown horse-human interaction to have a wide array of benefits to those managing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD and autism; or those who have had their lives affected by trauma, abuse or chronic illness.
Equuvation offers EFP {Equine-facilitated Psychotherapy} and EAL {Equine-assisted Learning} sessions with licensed and/or certified behavioral health professionals, as well as PATH Intl. Certified Equine Specialists in Mental Health and Learning.
No prior horse experience is necessary. Equine assisted therapy is very different than riding lessons. You may do some mounted work with the horses if there is a therapeutic reason for doing so, only at the discretion of your treatment team. If you are looking for a therapeutic riding program for children, please click here.
What is the difference between EFP and EAL?
As defined by PATH Intl., equine-facilitated psychotherapy [EFP] is, “a form of experiential psychotherapy that includes equine(s). It may include, but is not limited to, a number of mutually beneficial equine activities such as handling, grooming, longeing, riding, driving, and vaulting. Equine-facilitated psychotherapy is a treatment approach within the classification of equine-assisted therapy that provides the client with opportunities to enhance self-awareness and re-pattern maladaptive behaviors, feelings and attitudes.”
EFP sessions are most often private, individual sessions unless treatment goals include family involvement. Goals for EFP sessions are clinically driven.
As defined by PATH Intl., “equine-assisted learning [EAL] experiences are carefully created activities that promote human development in an experiential format. Equine facilitated learning may be conducted by an educator, therapist, equine specialist or therapeutic riding instructor. Experiential learning refers to a style of learning that occurs when a person is interacting with the environment, including the people, animals and situations involved."
EAL sessions may be individual or group based, but the stated goals are not clinically driven. An excellent example of EAL would be a corporate workshop where the goals involve group dynamics rather than the mental health needs of the individual participants.
EFP and EAL sessions are offered by our team of licensed, clinical professionals and educators, in partnership with ESMHLs (Equine Specialists).
We utilize Simple Practice to manage all client files/sessions
[HIPAA compliant]; and our support staff signs confidentiality agreements.
Equuvation Inc. is a Member Center of PATH Intl. – Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International; and is home to two PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors and Equine Specialists in Mental Health and Learning [ESMHL]; and one PATH Instructor-in-Training.