Equine Therapy
in professional partnership with
What Is Equine Therapy?
Equine Therapy is a form of experiential therapy that emphasizes the interactions between our clients and horses with a counselor and handler present. Equine Therapy at Fairhaven involves our clients engaging in activities with the horses that allows them to explore and process connected thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sessions are about self-discovery, self-relations and having fun with horses.
Our therapists work with our clients during the activity and after in order to identify behavior patterns and process thoughts and emotions. Equine therapy helps our clients develop self-confidence, self-control, accountability, responsibility, and self-confidence. It also allows for an innovative setting where our clients and therapists work to assess and treat a range of emotional and behavioral challenges.
Meet Our Equine Friends at Trinity Farm
How often do I get to work with horses?
Fairhaven has a professional partnership with Trinity Farm that is located 15 minutes from our residential treatment facility. Our staff will accompany residential clients to and from Trinity Farm, as well as guide therapeutic sessions. Our residential clients will typically engage in equine therapy once every two weeks.
Equine Therapy Benefits Include:
Relationship building skills
Anger and anxiety management
Communication
Boundary setting
Self-evaluation
Cooperation
Empathy and respect for others
Emotion Regulation
What can I expect?
Is Equine Therapy Safe?
Yes, Equine Therapy is safe and only occurs with a trained therapist and horse handler present at all times. Our horses have worked with many clients and are selected because they aren’t aggressive and are friendly! Horses are non-judgmental, have no preconceived expectations or motives and are highly effective at mirroring attitudes and behaviors of the humans with whom they are working.