The Eagala® Model of Equine Assisted Therapy
The Eagala® Model of equine-assisted therapy is a global standard in therapy and personal development. It is a client-centered and solution-oriented approach to treatment. Equine-assisted therapy work often helps clients change and grow more effectively and quicker than traditional clinical and psychological approaches.
The reason for this is that typically people learn best by actually doing something. Life lessons take deeper meaning when individuals not only understand them but experience them in their bodies. Working with horses is engaging, real-time, and hands-on. The experience is immediate and felt completely.
Why horses?
Horses are large and powerful. This creates a natural opportunity for some to overcome fear and develop confidence. Working alongside a horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides wonderful insight when dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations in life.
Horses are social animals, with defined roles within their herds. They would rather be with their peers. They have distinct personalities, attitudes and moods; an approach that works with one horse won’t necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun. In other words, horses are a lot like us socially – when we work on our relationships with them, we, in turn, are learning how to improve our relationships with others.
Horses respond with unique insight into exactly who we are in the moment. They are profoundly gifted reflectors of our true selves because their very survival depends on reading us right.
Because they can read and respond to the nonverbal messages we are always sending, they begin to act in ways that feel familiar to other relationships or dynamics in our lives. They become our spouses, partner, colleague, children, dreams, fears, addictions, etc., and begin to act out these very dynamics in our lives. This gives us a chance to work through those relationships and issues in a safe and nonjudgmental environment.
A client may say, “This horse is stubborn. That horse doesn’t like me,” etc. The lesson is that by changing ourselves, the horses respond differently. They provide this immediate feedback to real changes that we make – not what we just talk about.
For some reason, even when we feel stuck or hopeless, the horses move and make changes in the space, which in turn helps us become “unstuck.” Clients repeatedly report that the horses seem to act and be exactly what is needed in that moment.
The Eagala Model is so effective because it embraces the philosophy that humans learn best by doing. The model prescribes a hands-on approach where clients are given the space to project and analyze their situations, make connections, and find their own solutions.
Since the solutions are personally experienced in conjunction with intellectual understanding, they tend to be deeper, more profound, and longer lasting.
For more information on the Equine Assisted Therapy program, give us a call at (877) 419-3005 and ask to speak with Julie Arnn. For more information on Eagala® visit www.eagala.org.
Our team is available to you throughout the day and evening. Get questions answered, schedule a visit, or just speak with someone that may understand.(877) 419-3005
