In this article I will do my best to describe the benefits of the EAGALA model of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy as a therapeutic tool for supporting people to look at their mental health. Whether it’s substance misuse, anger, stress, depression or body issues, there is something in all of us from time to time that we find challenging.
Before I go in to the model I feel it is only fair to tell you a little about myself and what brought me on this journey. As a young boy growing up in Southill, limerick I struggled with low self-esteem and self-worth.
Not believing in my abilities led me to rebel in school believing it was a waste of time trying to learn when a life on the dole was all I could see. What was the point? So you would always find me at the back of the class or off out the fields counting the hours until I could go home.
At times Southill was a stressful environment to live in. There was always a tension in the air that you might find yourself bumping in to the wrong person at the wrong time.
In saying all this I was very lucky in other ways as I always had horses in my life. They make great companions. I would spend hours at a time just being with them not having to worry about being judged or laughed at. They created a safe space for me to be real, in a world full of false image and bravado.
It wasn’t until my early twenties that I started to look at myself in a more positive light, liking who I saw in the mirror and believing in myself.
I will fast forward to the present: for the past 4 years I have being working as an addiction counsellor specialising in under 18’s with substance misuse and family support. It is a career that I have great passion for as I know the importance of having someone say they believe in you, someone to point out all the good qualities they see in you, even if you don’t see them in yourself. I truly believe consistent positive regard for others can help break through the barriers of self-depreciation.
3 years ago I was introduced to the EAGAL model of equine assisted psychotherapy (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) as an alternative to mainstream counselling.
What is equine assisted psychotherapy and how does it work?
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) incorporates working with horses experientially for mental health, behavioural therapy and personal development. It is a collaborative effort between a licensed therapist and a horse professional working with the clients and horses to address treatment goals. Because of its intensity and effectiveness, it is considered a short-term or “brief” approach.
EAP is experiential in nature. This means that participants learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses, and then processing (or discussing) feelings, behaviours, and patterns. This approach has been compared to the ropes courses used by therapists, treatment facilities, and human development courses around the world. But EAP has the added advantage of utilising horses, dynamic and powerful living beings. This creates many metaphoric opportunities for a person to look at themselves and how they react in the world around them. No horse riding involved!
It is my experience that a lot of people find it hard to express their feelings in a counselling room to a stranger as they feel vulnerable and may not have had an opportunity to speak like this in the family setting which can cause discomfort and caution. This is where Equine Therapy comes in to play.
Do you know that saying “my kids tell me more when they’re in the back of the car than when we’re sitting at the table”? Well, the horses can take the intensity out of the situation giving the person more freedom to express themselves whilst also giving them freedom to move around and not make eye contact if they choose.
A horse will not judge you if you’re feeling sad or scared. A horse will not laugh at you or tell you that you’re wrong. Horses are experts at picking up emotion and atmosphere as these are the skills that have kept them alive for thousands of years. A horse will simply react to the energy it feels from you without judgement or having a hidden agenda. This gives the person a chance to look at their behaviour or actions in a non- threatening or judgemental way giving the person a lot more room to reflect on their thoughts and behaviours as there is no one there to argue with.
You can find a number of clips on you tube showing the EAGALA model at work.
Please feel free to contact me for more details or if you would like to attend a free hands on demo. Thanks you for taking the time to read my blog. You can email me: jstherapies@yahoo.com
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