Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Here at Roughout Ranch, we primarily focus specifically on Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) to help you heal. EAP is a fast-growing practice, combining the basics of horsemanship with therapy. It’s shown to have helped people with addiction issues, attention deficit disorders, behavioral issues, eating disorder, anxiety, depression, and many, many more disorders.
In EAP, we will work with the horses directly, grooming, caring for, riding, and playing games with them. Horses are like people in that each has a different personality, different needs, and different quirks. Because of their similarities to us, horses can provide a clear, quick reaction to you and what you may be feeling. The therapist and you will work together to understand how the horse’s reaction is caused by you. This is invaluable when you have a hard time explaining your emotions to someone else. Your therapist will even use the horses’ behaviors to help you understand your own.
While horses weigh from 800-2500 pounds, they are trustworthy animals. They will not judge you and are always ready to listen to you. The bond you will build with a horse is a pure kind of healing, something you can only find outside of an office and in the gentle tickle of the whiskers on a horse’s nose.
How Does It Work?
Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an alternative to traditional talk therapy.
EAP encompasses a range of treatments that involve activities with horses to promote human physical and mental health. Each session is based uniquely on you, the client, and what you need, want, and how you’re doing on that day.
EAP is the combined use of horses, a licensed therapist and a facilitator working with clients to address various individual treatment goals. This unique method enables clients to learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses and then processing feelings, behaviors and patterns. The presence of a horse is considered "therapeutic" in itself, since it is a dynamic and powerful living being. There's also a healing bond that can develop between humans and horses. EAP utilizes this relationship with the horse as a tool to mirror client's experiences and facilitate change. Therapeutic results begin immediately.
Because of its intensity and effectiveness, it is considered a short-term or "brief" approach. Anyone can participate in EAP; no prior horse or riding experience is necessary. All activities are done from the ground. No riding is involved.