WHY EAP AND EAL?
There is a Chinese Proverb that says:
“When I hear something, I forget”
When I see something, I remember”
“When I do something, I understand”
EAP is brief, solution-based and experiential. EAP is not intended to be a long-term therapy process because significant healing and change can occur in as few as three sessions. It can be used as a primary therapy modality or in conjunction with a different primary therapist. Because the focus is on the client finding their own solutions, they leave sessions with their own understanding of things they will continue to work on in their own time or with their therapist. Experiential therapy has long been known to be an effective way for people to gain an understanding of their own emotional process. By using therapist directed exercises in a safe manner, the client experiences the power of becoming aware of the emotions and behaviors that negatively impact their life and subsequently find their own solutions to their problems.
Horses are large powerful animals that reflect in their own behavior their fears, anxiety, confidence, playfulness and affection just as humans do. Because they are prey animals they view humans as predatory creatures and as a result they are extremely sensitive to human emotions as well as changes in our emotions and behavior. They will respond accordingly and they tell us when they are afraid, irritated and calm. They model for us the importance of being aware of our own emotions and behavior when around them as well as other humans and they mirror both our conscious and subconscious feelings and body language. By understanding the impact of our emotions and behaviors when with horses, we better understand the relationships we have with others.
Similar to EAP, EAL allows the individual to gain a better understanding of themselves and their relationships with others. It focuses on core life issues and skills such as respect, honesty, trust and communication. EAL is ideal for groups of people such as students, business or corporate teams as well as individuals without mental health issues that want to improve their own self-awareness and relationships with others. Team building exercises help work groups to look at issues that may impede effective business practices and ultimately improve productivity, work satisfaction and the bottom line.
