Healing with Horses
Introduction
This website will explore how equine-assisted therapy provides an option for veterans seeking mental health services. Horses have been identified to help people facing disabling circumstances which limit their active involvement in society. There are various titles and acronyms describing the type of service a ranch may provide for their clients such as therapeutic horsemanship (TH), equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFP) or equine-assisted mental health (EFMH).
Are you interested in investigating how veterans with PTSD symptoms can experience healing from trauma while spending time in connection with horses?
The therapeutic relationship of humans with horses goes beyond a Western philosophy of using horses as tools to serve a purpose.
– Arieahn Matamonasa-Bennet
David M. Ferruolo
Psychological Equine Program for Veterans. (2016). Social Work, Vol.61, No. 1, pp. 53-60. Oxford University Press.
Horses have the ability to connect with veterans who may have PTSD, anxiety, depression, and/or addiction symptoms. Equine-assisted therapies provide the opportunity to experience a relationship which is safe and meets needs by the development of trust and compassion.
Equine-facilitated mental health (EFMH) is a modality tested in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders that may influence millions of veterans affecting their psychosocial adjustment to civilian life.
Veterans learn by the experiences they have with horses and leave the ranch with the ability to apply that knowledge back in their everyday life.