IN STEP WITH HORSES

As a trauma-informed mental health organization, we engage participants in sensory-based activities with the support of carefully selected therapy animals. Our dedicated team of therapists and equine specialists partner with our animals to offer life-saving connections to children, teens and adults with special programs targeted to members of the military, veterans, first responders and their families.

We offer mental health services in a private, emotionally safe farm environment that incorporates the benefits of nature and animals. Our person-centered services provide flexibility to meet clients where they are and grow with their evolving needs. Services are tailored to each client’s unique goals. Clients are encouraged to actively participate in the design and execution of their treatment by setting goals and providing input and feedback regarding the services they receive.

Clients are served through a combination of program offerings, including equine-assisted psychotherapy, animal-assisted learning activities, therapeutic riding lessons and relaxation workshops. When traditional talk therapy is not enough, experiential therapies that incorporate movement and connection to animals can help clients learn to recognize and regulate their emotions, reduce anxiety and learn new life and coping skills faster with lasting results.

Today, we see a huge increase in demand for our services, particularly for youth and families, but the need to address mental health for people of all ages continues to rapidly grow. Mental health is in crisis and access to mental health services is critically short. We remain committed to helping our clients achieve their individual goals through flexible and innovative programming.

People of all ages, and particularly children, are experiencing extreme anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation at record levels. For many, it can take several months to get an appointment with a therapist, and many continue to use telehealth options to serve their clients, compounding the sense of disconnect and isolation.

Traditional talk therapy models are often not effective for young people as they lack the language to express themselves and do not recognize the feeling they are experiencing in their body. Experiential therapies like animal assisted therapy can be very effective. The horse gives non-judgmental, immediate feedback to the client, showing signs of discomfort or disconnecting if the client is agitated and distressed. As the client relaxes and becomes more focused, the horse will re-engage and become less animated. This gives the therapist and client insight into what is occurring in the client’s body and can spur discussion of what is happening for the client.

The physiological benefits that people receive while interacting with the animals, including the release of mood-improving hormones in the brain, make them feel better and more connected after each interaction.