Cultivate Confidence

In Addition to Therapy in the Office…

I offer 40 acres of land on which we can walk, talk, see coyotes, deer, birds, and bunnies, soak up sun, and interact with horses.  Horses have become such skilled therapists, teachers, and healers that they have been given their own therapy modality, called Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy.

What is Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP)?

In EFP the therapy session is moved from the office to the barn and the horses teach assertiveness, empowerment, boundaries, intuition, emotional intelligence, self-acceptance, persistence, awareness, calm, and healthy relationship.  You also learn to cultivate openness, presence, and authentic action.  The more you are able to practice these skills the more they become an embodied part of who you are.  Some activities that are done with the horses to build these skills include:

• Approaching the herd
• Grooming
• Setting Goals
• Haltering and Leading
• Meditating
• Yoga
• Boundary Sensing and Setting
• Energetic Communication

The Horses ~

Hermano and I have been together for almost 6 years.  He was living on a ranch in Westcliffe, CO and because of a leg injury was going to be put down.  Luckily for both of us, we met before this could happen, and he has become a very dedicated therapist.  He lives with 4 other horses ~ Ellie, Auberon, (Aubie for short) Wrangler, and Cochise, who also offer their unique ways of being in the world and teachings to my clients.

How do I know if EFP is right for me?

If just the idea of sitting in a room for an hour talking about yourself is enough to make you want to forget the whole therapy thing all together, or, if you love animals, and are curious about animal-assisted therapy, EFP might be for you. No experience with horses is necessary.  You do need a sturdy pair of shoes and clothing that you don’t mind if it gets a little dirty.  EFP sessions are an hour and a half, and can be done year round.  Many clients alternate between sessions with the horses and office therapy sessions depending on what is going on in their lives, the weather, and their schedules.

How can I find out more information?

If you feel called to working with horses and are interested in learning more about my perspective on EFP, please feel free to read my masters paper by clicking here:  “Opening the Gate: Cultivating Self-Awareness and Self-Acceptance Through Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy.”
You can also read an article I wrote for the Highlander magazine by clicking here: ” The Art of Setting Boundaries – What We Can Learn from Observing Horses.”

Refuting 3 Myths About Horses:

1. Horses don’t mind being alone. Horses are herd animals.  Their survival depends on being with other horses.  When a horse is alone in the wild, it is usually because it is injured or sick and has been left behind by the herd.  This most likely means death.  Just because a horse is not living in the wild does not mean that it has lost this instinctual knowing that something is seriously wrong if no other horses are around.  Most horses that are alone become extremely stressed out or depressed.

2. Horses don’t know love- they only know respect. Anyone who says this has not truly opened themselves to being with horses.  Horses deeply feel their lives and experiences- and this includes love.  Love for other horses and for people- if we are open to receiving it.

3. Horses’ relationships are not that important to them- if one horse leaves, just make sure a new horse is there. The minimization of the connectedness horses feel for one another is common.  Horses form deep bonds and although they do have preferences in relationship, much like humans, they do “notice” when a member of their herd has gone.  Bringing in a new horse is certainly better than leaving a horse alone, but it doesn’t mean that horses do not feel grief, loss, and anxiety when a horse is sold or dies.

To watch a short video of me talking about EFP, click here:

To watch a short video of Hermano, click here: 

360 Sky

Boundaries

Presence 

Watching Over