As the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) explains, “Most of us have encountered a patient with a service dog, seen a therapy dog at work, or experienced the healing power that can come from having a pet. For many people, animals are central to their overall health.” Research confirms that engaging with animals can not only improve emotional regulation skills but can also strengthen self-esteem and self-confidence. Caring for horses, in particular, can help individuals build these important inner resources. For these reasons and more, equine therapy has become a valuable intervention for troubled students.

At Clearview, we utilize equine therapy to help troubled students develop essential skills and attributes necessary for success in daily life. This can range from the skills of self-confidence and self-control to accountability, responsibility, and more. As equine therapy can be beneficial for complementing traditional treatment for a wide range of conditions and behavioral concerns, we can integrate it into any of our treatment plans. Moreover, if you are looking for a fulfilling rehabilitation program to send your troubled student to, consider reaching out to us to learn more about our Residential Treatment Center today.

Understanding Equine Therapy: Horses as Healers

In the field of mental and behavioral health treatment, traditional treatments may indeed pose limitations for treatment entry and engagement. Especially in the case of troubled students and youth, many may deny their need for professional intervention. Often these students are under the impression that treatment involves talking about personal problems with a therapist in an office. Fortunately, experiential treatments, like equine therapy, can motivate students to enter treatment. It can also make them feel more engaged when the modalities are inviting, exciting, and nature-based.

Simply put, equine therapy, or equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), is an interactive intervention that involves working with horses to foster healing. Guided by a licensed mental health professional, equine therapy sessions often involve a plethora of activities. These can range from grooming and feeding to horseback riding and other interactions.

During sessions, a mental health professional may ask questions or encourage deeper reflection for the student. The professional may utilize several therapeutic approaches both during and after equine therapy sessions to further the therapeutic process. Those interventions may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

The Benefits of Equine Therapy for Troubled Students

As Nursing Open explains, “Horses have a rich aesthetic influence on humans who interact with them, creating visual imagery of power and beauty.” With the opportunity to care for and connect with horses, troubled students have the opportunity to develop a newfound sense of trust. Additionally, they can establish a sense of safety while building relationships with themselves, their horse, the mental health professionals they are working with, and other peers in recovery.

Compared to other forms of talk therapy and animal-assisted interventions, equine therapy is particularly valuable. This is because horses reflect an individual’s projections. Due to horses’ strongly attuned sense of awareness, horses can sense and react to a person’s emotions quickly. This ability makes them great behavioral coaches, providing instant feedback to the participant. Once a foundation of trust and security is established between a horse and a troubled student, the student can allow themselves to be vulnerable with the horse, increasing their self-awareness and self-esteem.

Equine therapy also provides hands-on opportunities for troubled students to develop problem-solving skills while addressing any impulse control issues. As students engage with horses in sessions, they can learn how to recognize any self-defeating or intrusive thoughts that may be hindering their recovery journey. By emphasizing curiosity, these realizations can provide insight for identifying future goals and strengthening interpersonal communication relationships in recovery.

Additional Benefits of Equine Therapy

When engaging in the therapeutic process of equine therapy, troubled students may experience a wide range of benefits. These benefits include but are not limited to:

  • Increased feelings of trust in self and others
  • Reduced negative feelings (depression, anxiety, etc.)
  • Increased self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Reduced isolation
  • Improved impulse control
  • Strengthened communication skills, including nonverbal skills
  • Enhanced problem-solving skills
  • Improved emotional awareness
  • Self-actualization
  • Independence
  • Higher self-regard
  • Strengthened sense of social responsibility

It is important to note that equine therapy is most effective when used in combination with other therapeutic interventions and approaches. Getting your troubled student connected with a rehabilitation program is a great option to ensure that they get the professional support and engagement they need to sustain lasting recovery.

Clearview’s Use of Equine Therapy to Help Troubled Students

At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we strongly encourage the use of equine therapy to help our troubled students process their emotions and overcome challenging life circumstances. In addition to equine therapy, our program implements interventions to address every aspect of the healing journey.

When enrolled, your troubled student will also participate in our nationally accredited academics. This program ensures that she can excel in her education during recovery. Meanwhile, students will also take advantage of athletic interventions, life-skills mentoring, workshops, and more to ensure that their recovery is worthwhile.

Equine therapy is an experiential intervention that offers an opportunity for individuals to engage with horses to further their own therapeutic process. Caring for horses in therapy can have numerous benefits for troubled students. These benefits range from establishing trust and safety to addressing problem-solving and impulse control issues. As a result, equine therapy can be an extremely valuable intervention for youth, enhancing treatment engagement and commitment to recovery. At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we encourage the use of equine therapy as part of your daughter’s treatment plan. We want to help your daughter sustain a lifetime of healing. Learn more about our programs by calling us at 866-584-4788 today.