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Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)
EAP is a powerful and effective therapeutic approach that has a remarkable impact on individuals, youth, families, groups, and organizational systems.
- The focus of EAP is not riding or horsemanship.
- All activities take place while everyone is on the ground, not on horseback.
- EAP involves setting up activities involving the horses which will require the client or group to apply certain skills such as non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership, responsibility, teamwork, and relationship building.
- Accomplishing a task involving the horse creates confidence and provides metaphors when dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations in life.
- Using metaphors, in discussion or activity, is an effective technique when working with even the most challenging individuals or groups.
Humans also communicate with body language, and horses have the ability to mirror what human body language is telling them. Horses cannot mask what they are thinking and feeling. Their survival depends on communication that is honest and immediate. During a typical EAP activitvy, people will discover that they can't change the way the horse responds to them until they change their approach.
Horses are powerful teachers that don't give up until we get it right!
