Julie Vaughan, LPC, Program Director, has completed part 2 of 2 of her Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association training. Brookhaven Retreat offers Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, which is derived from the EAGALA model.
EAGALA if a form of therapy that has horses and clients interacting with each other. EAGALA serves to improve the mental health of those who participate in its process. The therapy is used to help the therapist and client get a better understanding of how the client handles and relates to life situations.
The session, in its entirety, is more of an experience where the horse and the obstacles for the horse serve as symbol for the client’s hurdles in life. The horse will mirror the attitudes and feelings of the client/s that are being used during the session and that is what the equine therapist and horse professional are looking for. Patterns in behaviors and feelings will begin to emerge with each session and will be analyzed by the equine therapist. After the session is over the horse professional and equine therapist will assess the therapy session and will explain to the client what the horse was experiencing and feeling while the session was in progress.
