Stetson Counseling & Wellness, LLC

11/21/2023

11/10/2021

Free to roam!

Why is Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy done “on the ground”?

First, I want to talk about basic horsemanship. Any good horse person knows that when you purchase or adopt a new horse, the first thing that you should do is ground work. By this, I mean spending time building the relationship with the horse on the ground. This is so important for building trust, learning how to communicate with each other and building a strong bond. This is similar to any human relationship. When humans meet each other, much “ground work” is done prior to advancing the relationship. You don’t ask someone to marry you on the first or second date, right? Well I hope not anyways!

Working with the horses on the ground helps us to learn about ourselves and our behavior patterns as well as build a relationship with another “being”. The horses provide honest, un-bias feedback to our body language, non-verbal communication, and feelings/fears that we don’t even know are there sometimes. Horses are not as authentic when they are dressed and mounted on- they go into work mode and tend to do what they are trained for. Clients can’t be as observant of how the horse may be behaving or feeling.

Let us know if you have any questions!

09/30/2021

We had a great session this week with this guy. He is so amazingly perceptive and intuitive. He did some very unusual and very vulnerable behaviors in response to one of our clients emotions. It was a perfect example of why horses are amazing tools in therapy. When horses are not being asked to work, don’t bare saddles or bridles, and are free to interact as they see fit in their own spaces; beautiful things can happen for EAP participants.

09/26/2021

Why horses? Well, I could answer this question forever!

Naturally intimidating to many, horses are large and powerful. They create the opportunity for some to overcome fear and develop confidence. Working alongside a horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides wonderful insight when dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations in life.

Horses naturally provide other benefits to humans. Their care requires a work ethic, responsibility, assertiveness, communication, and a healthy relationship. Like humans, horses are social animals, with defined roles within their herds. They would rather be with their peers. They have distinct personalities, attitudes and moods; an approach that works with one horse won’t necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun. In other words, horses provide vast opportunities for metaphorical learning, an effective technique when working with even the most challenging individuals or groups.

Horses require work, whether in caring for them or training them. In an era of immediate gratification and taking the “easy way”, horses require people to be engaged in physical and mental work to be successful, a valuable lesson in all aspects of life.

Most importantly, horses mirror human body language. Many complain, “This horse is stubborn,” or “That horse doesn’t like me,” etc. The lesson is that if one can change, the horses will respond differently. Horses are honest, which makes them especially powerful messengers.

09/21/2021

These 2 equine friends seemed to enjoy all the attention from a big group we had out at the barn on Tuesday! They are such team players and the best therapists in town!

08/25/2021

Our brand new therapy partner has the prettiest bangs!

08/18/2021

A productive Tuesday afternoon ❤️