Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP)
In conjunction with Horsewise Cambridge
EAP is a relatively new approach, where horses are used to work with clients, who are experiencing mental distress, to facilitate psychological and emotional healing. Our sessions offer children and young people (individually or in groups) the opportunity to engage with horses in a way which can help them to bring about powerful and lasting changes in their lives, through addressing a wide range of difficulties including:
Trauma
Attachment difficulties
Autism
ADHD and challenging behaviour
Low self esteem
Depression and anxiety
Relationship difficulties
Eating disorders
Looked after and adopted children
How does it work?
EAP is experiential in nature. Children and young people work directly with horses, face-to face, and no riding is involved. Activities are designed by the therapy team, which is composed of a mental health professional (Lucy Jayne) and an equine specialist (Maggie Bending). The sessions are tailored to meet the specific therapeutic needs of the clients.
EAP is suitable for a wide variety of clients but may be particularly valuable for children and young people who are 'hard to reach' through more conventional therapeutic interventions, or where their experiences have left them deeply distrustful of adults.
Further information about EAP can be found on the EAGALA website.