What Is Equine Assisted Counseling?

I am pleased to announce that I am partnering with the Pegasus Project Therapeutic Riding Center for a limited amount of hands-on Equine Assisted Counseling sessions utilizing their horses as part of the therapy experience. Pegasus Project provides equine-assisted services to children and adults with various special needs in the Yakima Valley. Their other programs include therapeutic riding lessons, pony visits to nursing homes, Hippotherapy, and a Life Skills program with local high school students. Our Equine Assisted Counseling sessions will be private sessions, including myself, an Equine Specialist from Pegasus, and one of their wonderful therapy horses

Equine Assisted Counseling (EAC) is a type of therapy that works with horses to help people develop emotionally, physically, and spiritually. During sessions, clients work with a horse, the therapist, and an equine specialist. Clients may engage in tasks like feeding, grooming, leading the horse, and/or interacting with the horse. After each session, the client will discuss their experiences and emotions with the therapist. EAC can help people discover more about themselves, develop new ways of thinking, change negative behaviors, improve communication skills, build trust, improve self-esteem and self-efficacy, build confidence, and improve overall functioning. EAC has been theorized to help a number of conditions, including ADHD, addiction, autism, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. 

Horses and humans have coexisted for a long time, and horses have an uncanny ability to attune to humans' emotions and nonverbal signs. Horses not only sense people's emotions but they can also recognize facial expressions related to specific emotions. Because horses can be so attuned and sensitive to human emotions, they often react to the emotions being displayed. While interacting with the horse, the client will work on recognizing how the horse's behaviors might be due to their own emotional signals. For example, a client who is anxious may see a horse pull away, get jittery, be tense, or swish their tail excessively. This is the horse responding to the client's emotions and can potentially help the client identify what they're feeling and work to regulate their emotions. The therapist will assist in this process and help clients learn the skills needed to regulate their emotions. 

To get more information on or to get started with Equine Assisted Counseling contact Chante at (253) 766-1445 or essencehh@outlook.com or you can contact the Pegasus Project at (509) 965-6990 or admin@pegasusrides.com. All EAC appointments will be held at the Pegasus Project Therapeutic Riding Center which is located at 4680 Highway 12 Yakima, WA 98908. This service is available on a limited basis, and clients will pay out of pocket, but can submit their fees to their insurance for reimbursement as an out-of-network provider.