Our Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Program

 

Our therapy includes principles from Natural Lifemanship and several other treatment modalities. While evidence-based programming is important to our clinicians, services are client-centered. For that reason, each client has an individualized treatment plan, in which they set their own goals and objectives with the guidance of our licensed professionals.

 

Our trauma-focused-equine assisted psychotherapy program offers a unique approach to healing by pairing licensed therapists with a horse, client, and his or her family. Connection is encompassed in all that we do by bringing together the relationships that matter most in support of a healing journey. The relationship between the client and their horse is the foundation for healing and every interaction between the horse and human has a therapeutic purpose. Our therapy model is patterned after Natural Lifemanship and their principles of intentionally using horse physiology to regulate human physiology, and horse psychology to heal human psychology. People who have experienced trauma typically don’t feel safe, have lost trust, have lost their ability to choose, feel isolated, and feel like they have no power. Trauma affects their relationship with self and others. The application of the principles behind this method empowers people to build healthy and functional relationships based on trust, respect, and understanding. This is first learned in a relationship with a horse as an equal partner and is then actively and passively transferred to the clients’ relationships with themselves and others. Since the horse can give us feedback in real-time, we are able to recognize and practice changing unhealthy relationship patterns. We strive to create connectedness through relationships. Clients are able to form a trusting relationship with their horse, become grounded and less anxious.  Through connectedness, clients are given power and a voice in choice.  

 

This type of therapy is successful in supporting people with a wide variety of issues including grief, abuse, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. 

 

How the Courage Ranch program is different from conventional therapy

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• Therapy includes a horse as a partner

• Sessions are conducted outside-allows congruency with the environment

• The client is able to model healthy relationships with the horse

• The client is able to move and interact in the environment

• The client and the horse have freedom of choice during the session

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Service Philosophy

 

All services provided at Courage Ranch will be trauma-informed. Clinical services will include:

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• Screening for trauma and related symptoms;

• Using culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment and treatment;

• Making resources available to children, families, and providers on trauma exposure, its impact, and treatment;

• All staff will be trained in Trauma-Informed Care. 

• Engage in efforts to strengthen the resilience and protective factors of children and families impacted by and vulnerable to trauma;

• Address parent and caretaker trauma and its impact on the family system;

• Emphasize continuity of care and collaboration with community providers;

• Maintain an environment of care and provide access to needed services for staff that address, minimize, and treat secondary trauma, and that increase staff resilience.