Have you or your loved one tried conventional addiction treatment programs with limited success? Or perhaps you are seeking treatment options for the first time and would like to know if there are any new or progressive methods.
Equine Therapy, also known as Horse-Assisted Therapy, is an excellent choice for people looking for options that complement their main addiction recovery treatment. Along with traditional addiction therapies, equine therapy can give a person the needed confidence and skills to live a fulfilling life away from the life of addiction they are trying to recover from.
Here are 4 ways through which the equine therapy can be beneficial to those undergoing addiction treatment:
Response and Feedback:
As strange as it may sound, horses can sense a person’s feelings and respond accordingly. In fact, it is compared to a mirror though which you can see and understand feelings you may not be aware of. This type of feedback of emotions in a non-threatening environment is said to be an important factor for the success of this form of therapy.
Learning Opportunities:
People can use their interactions with the horses to assess and change the ways they communicate with others. In the addiction treatment setting, the therapist can use this as an opportunity to start a conversation about the person’s addiction and any other psychological or social issues they may be dealing with.
Building Trust:
If a person feels uncomfortable expressing their feelings in a regular therapy setting, or if they hadn’t had a chance to develop a trusting relationship with their therapist, they may find equine therapy to be a safe space to open up and develop trust with the horses first, then with their therapists.
Developing Relationships:
Horses offer a relationship that is not critical or judgemental. This can certainly help a person struggling with the negative self-image and broken relationships as a result of their addiction, through rebuilding their sense of confidence without fear of criticism.
For the best results, patients going through addiction treatment should be working their counselors and psychotherapists. In combination with the equine therapy, drug counseling and psychotherapy session help the patient understand the deeper issues beneath their addiction, as well as what triggers them to substance abuse. These sessions also open up opportunities to reflect upon past decisions and learn new coping skills.
For many recovering addicts, a drug rehab treatment center that includes a horse-assisted therapy program is one of the best choices for successful rehabilitation. The power of animals – particularly the graceful, gentle understanding in horses – may be the key to helping them finally overcome their addiction once and for all.