7 minute read
HORSES AS HEALERS
Equine Therapy has Physical and Emotional Benefits
by Julie Peterson
Horses are being increasingly used to help people work through emotional and physical challenges, and for good reason: Numerous studies have shown that equine-assisted therapy helps with anger, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and dissociative or other emotional problems. It works whether the therapy involves riding or simply feeding and grooming. Building the relationship increases people’s selfconfi dence, social skills, trust, empathy and emotional regulation, and helps them establish routines, structure and a sense of responsibility—all skills that are transferable to daily life.
Equine Psychotherapists
Equine-assisted psychotherapy involves counseling with a mental health professional and time riding or caring for a horse. Th e horse is considered a co-therapist. Forming a relationship with an animal that weighs 1,000 pounds or more may be intimidating, but the required vulnerability and trust is part of the process.
“Horses show us how to live together in harmony. Th ey teach us about acceptance of others and of ourselves,” says Marcy Tocker, clinical mental health counselor and founder and executive director of Grey Muzzle Manor Sanctuary, in Mohrsville, Pennsylvania.
“In some cases, I see results more quickly using equine therapy than solely with offi ce therapy. I also see more motivation from typically resistant clients because this can actually be fun, too,” says Meagan Good, a counselor and owner of Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted
Therapy, in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. “Horses are relationship-oriented and intuitively sense and honestly respond to the emotions of those around them, which makes the horse-human bond a powerful healing mechanism.”
“Horses have similar emotions to humans—they get stressed out, happy, impatient. That’s why equine-assisted services are so popular,” says Traci Leigh, equine manager and instructor at Dream Riders TLC, in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Therapeutic Riding
Beyond working as co-therapists for emotional issues, horses are excellent for occupational, speech and physical therapy. “Riding a horse rhythmically moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to a human gait. Their pelvic movement is the same as ours, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, balance, muscle strength, circulation and breathing,” says Pamela J. Rogan, founder, executive director and certified therapeutic riding instructor at Harmony Farms, in Cocoa, Florida. “It will also enhance a rider’s quality of life, build confidence, independence and self-esteem. This is particularly true of riders with emotional or behavioral disabilities.”
Research shows that children and adults with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke and other conditions that affect mo-
tor control saw improvements in balance, gait, gross motor function and posture after several weeks of equine-assisted treatment.
Horses at Work
“I look for horses who are not afraid of new things, but curious about them … a horse that thinks through a new situation, that expresses himself freely and that enjoys interacting with humans,” says Good. “From there, my professional team works on building a relationship with that horse so that the horse feels safe to build relationships with clients who may or may not have any horse background.”
There are certifications and advanced courses that ensure appropriate training of the therapists and instructors, the safety of the people receiving services and the training and well-being of the horses. Reputable organizations include the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (eagala.org), the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (pathintl.org) and Natural Lifemanship (NaturalLifemanship.com).
“In addition to requiring that the horses are quiet, gentle animals and physically and mentally sound, they are trained to be desensitized to noise, wheelchairs, walkers and different types of therapeutic equipment that riders may need for safety or postural assistance,” says Leigh. Her horses get four weeks off every year and work a schedule that ensures ample time to rest and recharge during the day.
“The horse is a co-therapist. They are doing a job, and it’s a not an easy job,” says Tocker. “To ensure the well-being of our equine therapists, they get ample time off and massages. They’re taking on a lot, so we want to make sure they don’t burn out.”
“I have horses that seem to step in and ‘protect’ clients when they are feeling vulnerable. I have horses who try to help regulate the anxious client by breathing or yawning or nuzzling,” says Good. “For the most part, we trust the horses to just be themselves, and what they bring is always helpful for the client.”
“Horses are able to be present and focus solely on what is going on around them. They do not think about the future or the past or judge people based on what they look like or what experiences they may have had,” says Tocker. “I feel like I witness miracles every time I do a session at the barn.”
Julie Peterson writes about health and wellness from rural Wisconsin. Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
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Bounce Back from Stress and Negativity Naturally
by Linda Sechrist
Whether or not we live a conscious or unconscious life, it’s difficult not to be impacted by the negative effect of COVID-19. The constant mix of strong emotions and internal turbulence that many individuals are feeling has a significant emotional, mental and physiological influence on our physical and social well-being. Not wanting to get stuck in a never-ending cycle of negative, fear-based feelings of uncertainty, anger, worry, frustration, loss, powerlessness and doubt, many of us have begun searching for a better balance and methodologies, techniques and technologies that will allow us to meet our fears with joy, happiness, hopefulness, freedom, empowerment and contentment, which are all based on love. “The mind holds onto stress and negative thoughts because it doesn’t know how to process and release extremes and unfamiliar emotions. We voluntarily or involuntarily suppress and repress emotions in our subconscious, creating a spiral effect, causing the body to react with physical symptoms such as depression, sleep deprivation, inflammation, pain, autoimmune disease or even addictions of all sorts, which can lead to suicidal thoughts,” advises Michele Durham, founder and owner of the Access Holistic Healing & Hypnosis, in Bonita Springs. At Durham’s holistic center, a team of certified practitioners and licensed therapists, nurse, and doctor helps individuals to bounce back and achieve a healthy balance via ancient wisdom, holistic medicine and therapeutic modern technology. “Many people are opening up and awakening mentally, physically and spiritually to the shift from the medicine cabinet to natural healing pathways that can be used to facilitate and manage extreme to normal human emotions that have not been dealt with before and were intensified by the COVID-19 stress or simply new to a person,” says the military veteran, who synergizes a holistic approach of natural health and Western medicine to heal the mind, body and spirit. In March 2020, The Lancet medical journal published a review of 3,1666 research papers, “The Psychological Impact of Quarantine and How to Reduce It,” which reported evidence of COVID-19’s related post-traumatic stress symptoms of confusion and anger. Stressors include long quarantines, fear of infection, frustration, boredom, inadequate
supplies and information, financial loss and stigma. In July 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control confirmed that COVID-19 stress can cause feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, frustration; changes in appetite, energy, desires and interests; difficulty concentrating and making decisions; difficulty sleeping or nightmares; physical reactions such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems and skin rashes; worsening of chronic health problems; worsening of mental health conditions; and increased use of tobacco, alcohol and other substances. The center offers Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique (QHHT) developed by Dolores Cannon, 7-path Self-Hypnosis, 5-path Hypnosis, Neurolinguistics Programming (NLP), Braintap, Access Bars, Light therapy, IV Therapy, ZYTO Bioscan, sound and color therapy, guided meditations, private and small group yoga, intuitive massage and Chinese cupping, intravenous vitamin infusions and injections, halotherapy and infrared sauna therapy, as well as Nature’s Sunshine supplements. “It’s possible to regain balance with a complete holistic healing and experience that transform the mind and nurture the body naturally,” advises Durham.
Access Holistic Healing & Hypnosis is located at 27975 Old 41 Rd., Ste. 200, in Bonita Springs. For more information, call 239-301-3501 or visit AccessHolisticHealing. com. See ad, page 27.
