Equine Assisted Psychotherapy

Brookside Institute offers their patients another highly effective method to enhance the patient’s growth by augmenting the Brookside Recovery Protocol™ in the form of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). EAP is an advanced approach to assist and understand the change-producing forces that play in our lives. This is a therapeutic treatment modality in which horses are used to facilitate emotional growth and learning to help participants gain better insight into their behaviors.

Sensing the feelings of those around them, horses are able to echo human body language. Taking cues from its human counterpart, a horse will instinctively react to both overt direction and hidden emotion – making it easier for humans to recognize behavioral patterns.

Under the care of licensed therapists, participants establish a relationship with the horse through hands-on interaction. This interaction:

• Challenges individuals in a non-threatening manner;
• Rapidly breaks down defense barriers;
• Provides immediate cause and effect situations; and
• Promotes growth and change from dysfunctional patterns to successful ones.

Recent research has proven that EAP is a short-term approach that affects real and lasting change; allowing participants to see, adjust, and gain the knowledge to live their lives with authenticity, confidence, and focus.