Equine assisted therapy
Many people believe this therapy can be even more moving than talk therapy, or an invaluable supplemental therapy to individual therapeutic work. Horses are in the moment, authentic, and social animal partners who provide immediate and honest feedback. Equine assisted psychotherapy is a modality that is experiential, creating new learning inside the horse arena that can be applied to outside daily life.
The therapeutic work is both metaphoric and symbolic in nature, creating change and healing to improve mental health. The deep connections made with the horse herd can shift dynamics in our most important human relationships, improving things like communication and trust. The health of our close relationships directly links to our individual happiness and quality of life.
Currently the equine assisted psychotherapy groups are open to adult women ages 18+. Mental health focus topics for chosen specific for this population and adult women of all ages are welcome to participate in the groups.
We hope so! However, for 2024 and 2025 the groups are open to adult women only. This was decided for several reasons including current horse arena availability and scheduling.
Based on current horse arena availability, horse herd availability, therapist and equine specialist availability and scheduling limitations, we are only able to offer these groups on Tuesday mornings from 10:00am – 11:15am.
The groups have 6-8 adult women participants.
Yes, through their gentle spirit and social nature, our small herd of usually three horses are an active part of the therapy team. These 1,200-pound social animals are non-judgmental, curious, intelligent and uniquely attuned to human emotion and behavior. They are sensitive to the energy we bring into the horse arena, experience a wide range of feelings and offer immediate and honest feedback in response to our interaction with them. They are able to behave authentically in this setting because they are at liberty – meaning they are not wearing saddles, bridles or even halters. They are free to move around the horse arena as they choose, which provides us with valuable information in the therapy process. Often the horses will even mirror the inner emotion of the participants, and can provide a great sense of empathy through their eye contact and movement.
No, all sessions are on the ground meaning there is no horseback riding in the sessions.
About the sessions
Monthly group sessions are updated on the website under the groups and workshops tab. New groups are added periodically. Sessions are always on the first three Tuesdays of the month, from 10:00am to 11:15am. We ask that clients arrive to the arena waiting area by 9:45am for each session.
Kelly Stephens, LMFT, is the EAGALA certified mental health professional and leads the session along with a Chastain Horse Park appointed PATH certified equine specialist.
We begin with a grounding exercise, such as synchronized breathing with our horse partners. Mindfulness based exercises are the basis for grounding, with a goal of increasing awareness and becoming as present in the here and now. We then move through several directives which involve interaction with the horse herd focused on the mental health topic for that month.
The therapeutic work is considered experiential meaning the “doing” is during the session in the arena and the “thinking” or reflection is between sessions. Each client receives a journal and are encouraged to answer reflection questions specific to each session. This emotional processing can create new insight into thought and behavior patterns as well as relationship dynamics.
If a client is in individual therapy as well, the work in the horse arena can be explored during traditional therapy in a beautiful form of continuation of therapeutic care.
No. You will never be asked to share personal details in these therapy sessions. Although the sessions are group sessions, the therapy feels more like individual therapy. We do NOT ask clients to volunteer, demonstrate or do anything in front of the group in any session. Clients are asked to share their first name during initial introductions and sharing after that is personal preference.
This modality of therapy is very different than a group talk therapy, during which clients self-disclose personal struggles and support one another throughout the session. This animal-assisted therapy is different as it is an experiential based therapy. The therapy team gives directives to the group and each participant interacts with one or more of the horses based off this directive or instructed exercise. Several times per session we briefly process what happened with the horse herd during the directive, with a focus on themes, patterns, shifts and unique events that occurred. The observations and experiences we talk about are metaphoric in nature, and clients create new learning that is applicable to their own self development.
No! You do not need a background with horses or any level of experience with horses. Some clients who have attended feel a sense of nostalgia from the horse scent, the sound of their hooves and tails swishing back and forth from childhood horse memories. Other clients have rarely or never been around horses and experience these amazing creatures up close and personal for the first time. We make the physical and emotional safety a top priority for both client participants and the horses at all times.
Chastain Horse Park currently subsidizes the cost/ session at 50% through annual fundraising contributions so the price cannot be reduced.
polices and information
We recommend that you wear something that feels comfortable to you and that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet. It can be windy in the horse arena, so we recommend dressing in casual layers and airing on the side of dressing warmer. Closed toe shoes or boots are required for safety reasons. Sneakers, hiking boots, cowboy boots, rain boots and work boots are all great choices. We also encourage you to wear sunscreen and a hat if you would like, as parts of the arena do get sunlight.
Yes! We encourage you to check the weather forecast and dress accordingly as we do run the therapy sessions in rainy, windy and cold conditions. If the session is canceled by the therapy team or facility due to unforeseen circumstances, you will receive a prorated refund for that session.
No, unfortunately. Chastain Horse Park currently subsidizes the cost per session at 50% through annual fundraising contributions, therefore the price cannot be further reduced.
No, we do not work directly with insurance companies and are not able to provide out of network insurance receipts for reimbursement.
No, the therapy fee is nonrefundable after completing registration and payment.
No, unfortunately we are not able to offer a discount; the therapy fee is the same if you can attend one, two or all three of the sessions.
No, unfortunately we are not able to accommodate makeup sessions if you are ill and cannot offer refunds for missed sessions.
