Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Rather than the four walls of a therapist's office, Bella Terra Stables offers a unique therapeutic experience in nature with horses. Believing the best solution comes from within, equine-assisted psychotherapy uses a distinctive, experiential framework designed to allow children the latitude to discover, learn, and grow through the relationship
they develop with our horses.
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Our sessions are done on the ground with our horses and there is no riding involved. This creates a level playing field with the horses and gives room for more interaction and greater bonding with them. We use the natural outdoor environment as our therapeutic setting and we work as a team comprised of horses, a licensed therapist, and an equine specialist. The team works together to create an emotionally safe space in which children can explore lasting solutions to a range of personal challenges and crises.
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Horses are always the focal point of each session because of their non-judgmental interactions with clients, their strong desire to connect and form relationships (herd instinct), and their ability to understand what we are going through based on the energy brought into the arena (natural prey instincts translating into emotional intelligence). The horse's interactions with the client, and their reactions to the emotional energy the client brings with them, provides a platform for discussion, self-reflection, and growth.
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The equine-assisted psychotherapy treatment team has received certification in the Eagala, Arenas for Change, and O.K. Corral Series modalities, and recently completed EA-EMDR training.