EQUIJOURNEYS HOME PAGE Equine Assisted Psychotherapy And Learning (E.A.P.A.L.) | ||
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EquiJourneys is a an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning prevention and treatment therapy program specifically targeted to meet the unique needs of children, adolescents, and their families. Using equine (horse) assisted therapies, in conjunction with other experiential and cognitive therapy approaches, EquiJourneys focuses on the prevention and treatment of behavior, mood, and emotional disorders, recovery from addictions, eating disorders, coping with trauma, abuse, and loss, and teaching constructive life skills. The Cornerstone and rutter of EquiJounreys is Jesus Christ - embracing the grace, the forgiveness, the unconditional love, and the ultimate healing God gives us. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy & Equine Assisted Learning Defined Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a growing formof Experiential Therapy - using human-horse interactions to provide a variety of cognitive-oriented, therapeutic experiences as a foundation for healing and personal growth. The horse-human relationship provides a unique, emotionally safe platform upon which clients can work through difficult issues and learn life-skills such as improved communication, self-esteem, self-confidence, responsibility, relationship-building, and the opportunity to change thinking patterns from destructive to constructive. Using communication as an example, the person must learn how to communicate with a creature using body language and verbal tone rather than words alone. Horses live in a herd mentality and are super-sensitive to body language and position of humans and other horses at all times. They are also animals of prey. This leads to the "fight or flight" response, an instinct to which we train each horse to respond in a manner that is safe for the people and horses involved The messages sent by body language and tone of voice is the communication to which the horse responds. Much like a reflection in a mirror, the response a horse provides gives the person a clear view at the full message he or she may be sending, possibly totally unaware.. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy provides a setting where the therapist is not dictating to the client, and is instead facilitating a safe environment with client-appropriate exercises during which the client learns something unique fromeach individual attempt, and then choose the approach that is the best fit. Afterwards, the client and therapist can explore and process the experience and ways in which it applies to real life situations and relationships. The Experiential Therapy model allows the client to teach himself or herself, and provides the full spectrum of learning modalities - sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. In working through this process, the solution comes from inside the client rather than through dialogue alone in an office setting. | EquiJourneys is an equine assisted psychotherapy and learning program ("EAPAL") targeted to treat children, adolescents, and their families. The EAPAL program uses equine assisted psychotherapy, in conjunction with other experiential and cognitive therapies, for the prevention and specific treatment of behavior, mood, and emotional disorders including the following: recovery from addictions, eating disorders, coping with trauma, abuse, and loss, and teaching constructive life skills. This cognitive approach targets the root of thought: "perception." Perception is what we believe we see. At the most basic level, it affects what we believe about ourselves and the world around us - and often the beliefs that we allow to limit us. Using EAPAL, clients are presented with the tools to help them choose to look at the world different perspectives as horses challenge us to communicate with body language and tone of voice and only limited vocabulary. Clients work through issues at their own pace and in the order they choose. Time allows the applications from these experiences to be rooted into our nature and character. EquiJourneys strives to provide a place for children and teenagers to experience the power of this interactive learning, in both prevention and treatment situations. The focus is on the individual and that individual's unique needs. The fundamental right of self-determination is of utmost importance - the individual decides what issues he/she feels safe to explore, as well as when and how to proceed. This is essential for people of all ages - whether in a prevention mode of skill-building or in a treatment mode of change. Using horse assisted therapy and learning experiences, in addition to counseling and other experience-based modalities, EquiJourneys focuses on the passion for and embracement of *living* an abundant life - focusing on the path taken to each successful step, learning, and growing with each experience. We want kids to dare to dream and hope and believe in themselves. We strive to maintain a non-judgmental, loving, safe and honest atmosphere - respectful of each person's beliefs and choices - filled with life and focused on the "yes" in living rather than limitations. The Cornerstone on which EquiJourneys is built is the love, grace, and complete forgiveness found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The whole person includes spiritual needs that must be addressed for real healing to occur. We believe life holds wonders and experiences beyond what we can ever imagine. Why Horses? Horses are honest and have a basic set of priorities. They are quick to forgive and have no hidden agendas, no biases and no need to place blame. There is an aura of awe when we see them. It is humbling that these magnificent creatures want to be with us, seek to please us, and need us. As we interact with such a creature, this honest response acts as a mirror for us to see how our attitude, body language and tone of voice communicates far more than words alone. Each attempt to communicate a request is separate in the mind of the horse, and this allows us to try repeatedly until we learn to communicate in such a way that we succeed in a positive relationship. Inevitably, we take these lessons and apply them in our other relationships. This therapuetic atmosphere provides us with experiences that teach us lessons we can apply throughout our lives. | ||||||||
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EquiJourneys is a an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning prevention and treatment therapy program specifically targeted to meet the unique needs of children, adolescents, and their families. Using equine (horse) assisted therapies, in conjunction with other experiential and cognitive therapy approaches, EquiJourneys focuses on the prevention and treatment of behavior, mood, and emotional disorders, recovery from addictions, eating disorders, coping with trauma, abuse, and loss, and teaching constructive life skills. The Cornerstone and rutter of EquiJounreys is Jesus Christ - embracing the grace, the forgiveness, the unconditional love, and the ultimate healing God gives us. | |||||||||
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Equine Assisted Psychotherapy & Equine Assisted Learning Defined Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a growing formof Experiential Therapy - using human-horse interactions to provide a variety of cognitive-oriented, therapeutic experiences as a foundation for healing and personal growth. The horse-human relationship provides a unique, emotionally safe platform upon which clients can work through difficult issues and learn life-skills such as improved communication, self-esteem, self-confidence, responsibility, relationship-building, and the opportunity to change thinking patterns from destructive to constructive. Using communication as an example, the person must learn how to communicate with a creature using body language and verbal tone rather than words alone. Horses live in a herd mentality and are super-sensitive to body language and position of humans and other horses at all times. They are also animals of prey. This leads to the "fight or flight" response, an instinct to which we train each horse to respond in a manner that is safe for the people and horses involved The messages sent by body language and tone of voice is the communication to which the horse responds. Much like a reflection in a mirror, the response a horse provides gives the person a clear view at the full message he or she may be sending, possibly totally unaware.. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy provides a setting where the therapist is not dictating to the client, and is instead facilitating a safe environment with client-appropriate exercises during which the client learns something unique fromeach individual attempt, and then choose the approach that is the best fit. Afterwards, the client and therapist can explore and process the experience and ways in which it applies to real life situations and relationships. The Experiential Therapy model allows the client to teach himself or herself, and provides the full spectrum of learning modalities - sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. In working through this process, the solution comes from inside the client rather than through dialogue alone in an office setting. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, like most experiential therapies, is cognitive-based. Cognitive therapy is, by definition, a therapeutic approach which challengesthe basic thoughts and beliefs we live by, perception of oneself and others, and the environment in which we live. Equine Assisted Pscyhotherapy and Learning applies the experience of working with the horse(s) to accomplish a specific task or surpass a specific obstacle. There is an interactive relationship between the horse and the human which makes each step immediately gratifying by itself, with horses giving immediate feedback to the client. EquiJourneys Defined... EquiJourneys is an equine assisted psychotherapy and learning program ("EAPAL") targeted to treat children, adolescents, and their families. The EAPAL program uses equine assisted psychotherapy, in conjunction with other experiential and cognitive therapies, for the prevention and specific treatment of behavior, mood, and emotional disorders including the following: recovery from addictions, eating disorders, coping with trauma, abuse, and loss, and teaching constructive life skills. This cognitive approach targets the root of thought: "perception." Perception is what we believe we see. At the most basic level, it affects what we believe about ourselves and the world around us - and often the beliefs that we allow to limit us. Using EAPAL, clients are presented with the tools to help them choose to look at the world different perspectives as horses challenge us to communicate with body language and tone of voice and only limited vocabulary. Clients work through issues at their own pace and in the order they choose. Time allows the applications from these experiences to be rooted into our nature and character. EquiJourneys strives to provide a place for children and teenagers to experience the power of this interactive learning, in both prevention and treatment situations. The focus is on the individual and that individual's unique needs. The fundamental right of self-determination is of utmost importance - the individual decides what issues he/she feels safe to explore, as well as when and how to proceed. This is essential for people of all ages - whether in a prevention mode of skill-building or in a treatment mode of change. Using horse assisted therapy and learning experiences, in addition to counseling and other experience-based modalities, EquiJourneys focuses on the passion for and embracement of *living* an abundant life - focusing on the path taken to each successful step, learning, and growing with each experience. We want kids to dare to dream and hope and believe in themselves. We strive to maintain a non-judgmental, loving, safe and honest atmosphere - respectful of each person's beliefs and choices - filled with life and focused on the "yes" in living rather than limitations. The Cornerstone on which EquiJourneys is built is the love, grace, and complete forgiveness found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The whole person includes spiritual needs that must be addressed for real healing to occur. We believe life holds wonders and experiences beyond what we can ever imagine. | |||||||||
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Why Horses? Horses are honest and have a basic set of priorities. They are quick to forgive and have no hidden agendas, no biases and no need to place blame. There is an aura of awe when we see them. It is humbling that these magnificent creatures want to be with us, seek to please us, and need us. As we interact with such a creature, this honest response acts as a mirror for us to see how our attitude, body language and tone of voice communicates far more than words alone. Each attempt to communicate a request is separate in the mind of the horse, and this allows us to try repeatedly until we learn to communicate in such a way that we succeed in a positive relationship. Inevitably, we take these lessons and apply them in our other relationships. This therapuetic atmosphere provides us with experiences that teach us lessons we can apply throughout our lives. | |||||||||
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The Eyes Through Which We See At EquiJourneys we believe each human is unique and equally valuable in who he/she is, in his/her ability to grow, and in what he/she has to offer. This program is built on the grace, love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. While we will not force our beliefs on any person, we will treat each person with the love and grace set forth in the Bible, and we choose to see each person as nothing less than a wonderful creation of God. We believe unlimited potential and the highest value exists in each person - we focus on what can be, the wonders of what is possible, the reach we have when we believe we can. Far Beyond Humane The care and handling that horses receive from EquiJourneys is a reflection of how we value their roles in our lives. We will not overload or cause any kind of physical or emotional injury to any horse. You will not find "retirement" horses in this program. We strongly believe that each horse working in any form of equine assisted pscyhotherapy and/or equine assisted learning is a horse with a very real "job." Horses do not need to spend their retirement years working in a physically- and emotionally-taxing environment. As with any human involved in helping people, the horse gives a large amount of energy during the exhausting task of remaining focused on individual interaction and processing. Out of respect for these four-legged practitioners, we are committed to keeping each horse's workload balanced to the unique abilities of that horse. Each horse has a threshold over which we have no right to push. In many cases, horses benefit as much as the clients in the EAP process, but it is essential that we remember that they are giving of themselves as much as any human involved. We are dedicated to maintaining the overall wellness of each horse, and we provide environment, nutrition, attention, and veterinary care above the minimum standard. This is true for horses owned by EquiJourneys and horses whose owners have allowed to "donate time" to the therapeutic work. | |||||||||
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