Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP)
Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) is an evidence-based treatment model in which a trained clinician, an Equine Specialist (ES) and horse(s) collaborate to create a supportive environment for clients to process emotional, social, and behavioral problems. Although EFP in mainstream contemporary healthcare is relatively new, horses have long been used by Indigenous cultures and ancient Greeks as a source of insight and medicine for ages. In EFP, clients have the opportunity to gain insight into their own emotions and responses through horse interactions. Activities often include grooming a horse, leading a horse, mindfulness/grounding exercises, facing obstacles with horses, round pen work with horses, observation of horses’ interaction with one another, and projection and processing of emotions.
WHY HORSES?
Horses are non-judgmental. They don’t have expectations or prejudices. They don’t care what humans look like and they are not influenced by a person’s station or level of privilege. As prey animals, they tend to be sensitive to subtle changes in their environment and to the presence of humans. Horses are observed as mirroring and reflecting the emotions and energy of individuals who are in their presence and may offer feedback relating to an individual’s subtle nonverbal behavior. They respond to both the behavior and the mood of individuals to whom they are exposed, allowing them to function as a biofeedback tool for clients. Because horses are able to do this without assumption or criticism, they can move clients into a state of openness and vulnerability that can be hard for clients to access with human therapists.
SAFETY
Client safety is the number one priority when working with trauma, but particularly in the presence of large, majestic creatures. Clients are educated on liability and risk in this psychotherapy model and no clients are allowed to ride the animals who work with us. Outdoor Therapeutics partners with equine specialists who are trained in animal behavior and who select appropriate animals for session. Clients are never asked to participate in EFP in ways that push them beyond their coping capacity.
LOCATION
Outdoor Therapeutics is grateful to work with Horses Healing Humans (HHH), an equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning center nestled in the serene landscapes of Frederick, Maryland. HHH is an Eagala-Certified operation that adheres to the Eagala Model, an exceptional experiential framework crafted to empower clients to explore, learn, and evolve within the horse-human relationship. To learn more about HHH, visit: