If you are struggling with a mental disorder or an addiction, you may be a strong candidate for equine therapy. This type of holistic treatment can help you confront negative thoughts, address your behaviors, and learn new skills that can help manage the symptoms of your condition. As such, the benefits of equine therapy reach far beyond just helping you with your immediate problems.
Although not a primary form of care, equine therapy is instrumental in helping people learn how to take on challenges healthily and constructively. It also promotes self-confidence and an overall sense of wellness. Read below to discover the benefits of equine therapy for mental disorders and addiction.
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What is Equine Therapy?
Horse-assisted activities and therapies are recognized as catalysts toward long-term recovery. Although there is still much research to be done in the field, therapists and clients have seen firsthand how working with horses can help people with emotional disorders and various types of addiction.
The main thrust behind equine therapy is that it helps individuals solve various problems such as self-control, attention deficit, dependency, poor relationships, and substance abuse. While riding horses or working with horses, individuals learn a variety of lessons that they can use in real life to overcome their current struggles.
While working with animals may not seem like therapy at first, many individuals value the lessons that they have learned in forming trusting relationships with animals.
What Can You Learn in Equine Therapy?
Numerous studies have indicated that equine therapy has helped clients improve in several areas of their life, such as:
- Showing empathy for others
- Becoming more assertive in solving problems
- Creating more awareness of their emotional state (mindfulness)
- Developing a higher tolerance to stress
- Embracing a spirit of flexibility in different situations
- Learning to control thoughts and actions (impulse control)
In addition, clients learn to become more independent and self-confident while taking on a sense of social responsibility within all types of relationships. Clients often view equine therapy as mere recreation at first. However, in time they see that developing a healthy relationship with a horse is similar to creating positive relationships with others.
What Disorders Does Equine Therapy Treat?
Equine therapy can treat a wide range of disorders. For example, it’s useful in treating bipolar disorder, ADHD, borderline personality disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The primary care for these types of disorders is often a type of evidence-based treatment. However, equine therapy can supplement many of the concepts that clients learn in their primary treatment.
One of the benefits of equine therapy is that it can also treat drug and alcohol addiction. Often mental disorders and addiction go hand in hand. Thus, equine therapy can be used to treat either condition or both at the same time.
Learn More at Phoenix Rising
Phoenix rising offers extensive holistic therapy to treat both mental disorders and addiction. Equine therapy is a part of our treatment program. To find to more about the benefits of equine therapy, call 8552328211. We are happy to answer your questions and go over your treatment options.
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