MHM Magazine

18 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 2023 | Issue 2 MHM People can be more loving, trustworthy, communicative, strong, compassionate, honest, patient, and resilient with each other, work more effectively in a team and be creative… all with the help of horses. Research has shown time and time again that Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) can help people develop and improve these traits and more… What if a horse could motivate & empower a person to be their best and happiest? They can!! And with EAP they do!! “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of the man” - Sir Winston Churchill It doesn’t matter if you have horse experience or not. The focus of EAP is not on riding or horsemanship. In fact, EAP takes place 100% on the ground. It is an interactive, experiential, hands- on-approach and involves partaking in activities involving horses which require the client to apply certain skills and decision making about how they approach the horses and the activities, as they navigate their way through trying to accomplish the task at hand. How these activities and horses are approached and managed, are representative of the direct impact the persons’ behaviour has on others, within their daily lives and working contexts. The client’s behavioural patterns as well as the impact of these patterns, become clearly visible to them, which is more often than not, easily and effectively translated back to their current life situations. Regardless of these activities, horses each have their own distinct personality, and just like humans experience certain emotions or moods on certain days and during exposure to certain people or situations. This in turn impacts the manner in which they should be handled. Herein lies the power of the process… The client needs to accurately observe the non-verbal body language of the horse whilst at the same time being acutely aware of their own body language and the impact they’re having on the horse. The client then needs to decide what is the most appropriate and effective action and communication in that moment and what will yield the best possible results for both horse and human. The objective of EAP is not about completing these tasks or activities, but rather allowing the client to reach their own solutions to the “problems” they’re faced with, whilst being acutely aware of their behaviour and the impact of their behaviour on others. Although frustrating at times for the client, it brings about awareness of current patterns of behaviour which motivates change. Simply put, the client learns that as they change their attitude, behaviour and actions, so too does the horse’s reaction change. The beauty of this approach is not only that it takes place outdoors ut also it’s often less intimidating than the traditional office setting. Clients EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY Kim Kidson Clinical Psychologist EAPISA Chairlady Gauteng