Equine-Assisted Learning allows individuals to apply new insights to grow and change more effectively. EAL services are offered for:
School Groups, Juvenile Probation, Residential Facilities and Organizations
We are successfully using EAL with different groups, tailoring programs to suit clients’ needs. The debriefing process helps participants connect therapy activities with the horses to everyday life, inviting participants to reflect, analyze and gain new perspectives.
Below are a few areas we’ve focused on in customized eight-week courses:
- Respect and Attitude
- Boundaries
- Choices and Consequences
- Relationship Building
- Knowledge and Achievements
- Confidence and Self-worth
- Communication and Trust
- Family Roles
Personal Wellness and Development
With the use of EAL skills and techniques, our horses and therapists help participants seek improved mental and emotional health and wellness by:
- Discovering how each participant plays a role in the group/class
- Developing personal confidence, problem solving and communication skills in participants
- Creating more flexible and understanding individuals
- Helping clients become masters at thinking “out of the box”
Participants experience enhancement in these areas:
- Personal Awareness and Leadership –fostering motivation and empowerment; building trust; improving problem solving; thinking creatively
- Communication Skills – practicing the communication process (verbal, non-verbal and listening modes)
- Team Building – understanding team member roles and responsibilities, developing team goals and team member effectiveness, working with different personalities
- Goal Setting – identifying and attaining personal goals, discovering how personal and group goals mesh
- Confidence Building – overcoming fears and embracing challenges, fostering new ideas, accepting change
- Appreciation – recognizing the personality traits of others and self
Individuals with Autism
Due to the increasing demand of services for children on the autism spectrum, EquiTeam created a program utilizing “The Horse Boy*” method to effectively treat all children on the spectrum. Our autism services address core behavioral challenges. Learn more here.
What Is EAL?
Equine-Assisted Learning (as opposed to psychotherapy), or EAL, is a hands-on experiential process that allows natural interaction between humans and horses. There are endless ways to apply this approach to personal, professional and human development.
People treat horses the way they treat people, and the same communication patterns used to gain cooperation with people are also used with horses. The difference is that the horses always act the way they really feel and people often hide their true feelings. Horses have the innate ability to sense people’s true feelings and react to that energy. It is impossible to hide the human soul from the senses of the horse.
EAL is ideal for children, adolescents and adults seeking to develop the tools and strategies needed to make good choices. It’s a great way to experience the benefits of our programs for those not requiring psychotherapy.
EAL Helps Clients Seeking:
- Better understanding of themselves
- Team building and role definition for families, groups, teams and community
- Increased self-esteem and body awareness
- Recovery from trauma, loss or substance abuse
- Improved communication and coping skills
- Parent skill building/training
