THERAPY OVERVIEW

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 Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy is a powerful and effective way of working with people who have diverse mental health needs. The experience of being with horses can often be one of connection, of awe and of privilege that these large powerful animals wish to connect with us and support us through difficult and challenging times. Many will say that horses can mirror our nervous systems, they can feel good to be around and our interactions with them can often resonate with problems and challenges in our social, psychological and emotional experiences. 

This model of “Mirror, Metaphor and Medicine” goes someway to explain why people report improvements in their lives through equine interaction. However, there is more to it. When used by registered mental health professionals with significant experience as therapists, Equine Facilitated Therapy can be hugely effective in lasting therapeutic change. We at Equi-Librium work with a range of children and adults with PTSD, Complex PTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol and substance misuse, so called personality disorders and more sever mental health problems. We work with issues of clinical  risk and complexity where these exist. Horses help us learn to trust, to regulate ourselves, and to get to a state where people are more able to make the best of therapy. WE don’t necessarily “take’ this form the horses. Our way of working focusses on the reciprocal relationship and its healing qualities.  

We specialise in trauma work. The work we do was once described by an NHS veterans service professional as ‘trauma therapy for those who can’t tolerate trauma therapy’. We try and take the barriers away. We don’t have a referral criteria as they often form blocks to treatment which are about managing resource in over burdened public services. We are open ended in our offer as not everyone can sort out the problems of a lifetime in 12 sessions. Hyper vigilant anxious people sometimes find therapy rooms hard. Fields, paddocks and open barns are easier. Words sometimes feel like they don’t quite explain someone’s non verbal emotional experience. The contact with horses and humans can help this. “Hanging out with the horses” can help. Introducing therapy words gently and compassionately is one way that we can then build on compassion for the horses, compassion for others and then compassion for ourselves. 

At Equi-Librium our therapists are additionally trained and experienced in a variety of integrative therapy approaches from psychodynamic theory to highly effective trauma based approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitisation Reintegration (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy practiced in a relational context, Hypnotherapy and Somatic work. All of these approaches are augmented and boosted by our work with horses. So much so that studies have shown that effective psychotherapy alongside horses can have a physical and beneficial effect on the structure of our brains. We are excited to take part in further and continuing research in this area. 

 The Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is the simple and therapeutic act of spending time in a forest.

If you've ever been in a forest, listened to the birds and watched the sunshine filtering through the leaves, you've already participated in one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being. Even Japanese doctors promote forest bathing as a relaxing break from hectic urban life.