The Role of the Horse in Equine Assisted Counseling

This month I presented at the Certified Horsemanship Association

Region 8 Conference on the Role of the Horse and Horse Professional in Equine Assisted Counseling Sessions.  Often I get asked what do you do for a living and when I reply, “I practice equine assisted counseling.” I am usually met with a blank stare and follow up question, “What is that? Do you counsel horses?”  

What thoughts come to your mind when you hear the phrase “Equine Assisted Counseling?” 

I define my work as “Partnering clients with horses and empowering horses to respond freely to what is happening in session to bring insight, awareness, and healing to clients.”

The horse plays a powerful and dynamic role in counseling sessions.  Horses are sentient beings and able to respond and react to human emotions and body language, often times even the subtleties that humans do not recognize.  Horses’ sensitivity to emotional and nonverbal subtleties help clients identify hidden thoughts, feelings and beliefs about themselves, others and circumstances.  As therapeutic partners their responses and feedback to clients are valuable to the healing process.

During the training I invited three volunteers to participate in a shortened mock counseling experience.  The participants were invited to interact with three horses at liberty in the arena.  This is what I often call “meet and greet” and is what first time clients do to select their equine partner for their course of treatment.  One related the experience to how she responds in new settings, another her desire to engage and connect with others in deep meaningful relationship, another her desire to blend into group settings.  Within the fifteen minute demonstration of interacting with the horses, participants increased their awareness of their patterns of behavior and gained greater insight into themselves.   

To find out more about counseling services offered at Freedom Reigns Counseling visit www.freedomreigns.net.