ACA Blog

At first thought, I do not necessarily think of myself as a creative person. I am definitely a Type A, organized and structured person that always has a plan in place. Usually, I have a plan B and C, as well. I’m pretty methodical and strategic in my actions. Some might say that I am rather predictable. Yet, the more that I critically analyze my activities, the more I realize that I AM in fact creative. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is creativity.

Mondays may not always be my favorite day of the week, but I am certainly looking forward to next Monday. It will be a big day for me, my family and my practice. Why? Because a darling palomino gelding will be joining our herd.

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and in recent years, it has become more than just a saying. results from numerous empirical studies have found laughter to help alleviate depression, reduce stress, increase immunity, and even fight cancer.

I have received many requests for more examples illustrating how horses can be of benefit in the counseling process. So, here is another one! Of course, a few changes have been made to protect confidentiality.

Horses communicate primarily through the use of body language, eye contact, voice and smell. As we learned last time, observing the horse can often provide clues about his emotional state and temperament. This week, we will discuss how understanding horse communication may help counselors communicate with clients on a deeper level.

I have received some really great feedback about the various types of therapeutic horsemanship programs available. I have also received some great questions. This week, I will take the opportunity to answer one of the recurring questions: How do horses communicate?

This week we will be climbing out of the saddle to learn about the experiential groundwork techniques of the EAGALA method.

Since the submission of my last blog post about deaf individuals and some of their negative experiences in counseling, I have been seriously touched and somewhat humbled by the outpouring of communication I have received not only from counselors and counseling students; but also from deaf and hard of hearing individuals themselves.

This is an area of Therapeutic Horsemanship that I find to be fascinating. When I think of vaulting on horseback, the image of superhuman gymnasts in Cirque du Soleil-like performances springs to my mind. The more I researched the topic, however, the more I realized the value it brings to clients participating in Therapeutic Horsemanship programs. The balance, focus, confidence and teamwork it takes to perform the exercises during a Therapeutic Vaulting session can be extremely beneficial not only in a physical sense, but also psychologically.

As we learned last time, Therapeutic Horsemanship is a great method of recreational therapy for people with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities and mental health issues. In addition to riding lessons, many Therapeutic Horsemanship programs offer other ways of interacting with horses to enhance the physical, psychological and social benefits horsemanship provides. One example is Therapeutic Driving.