Frequently asked questions
Is equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) a real type of psychotherapy?
Yes! For each psychotherapy session, the individual, couple, or family will work with a licensed mental health professional (therapist/counselor), an equine professional, and a horse who make up the therapy team. The therapist will be facilitating the psychotherapy while the equine professional attends to and supports the horse in the therapy session. The therapy team works together to provide experiential therapy.
What is experiential psychotherapy?
Experiential therapy differs from traditional talk therapy in that you learn by doing in therapy rather than just talking. While there will be talking in the EAP and EAL sessions, there is also room for silence for the client to work with their horse and practice new skills to form a relationship with a horse. At ConnEQction, we view the relationship the client engages in with their horse as the vehicle for healthy change and healing.
Can you form a real relationship with a horse?
Yes! Horses are social animals and seek to connect with one another as humans do. They use nonverbal communication, are nonjudgemental, and give immediate feedback about how the human is communicating with them. The same skills that are used in forming a healthy human to human relationship are the same skills used in forming a human to horse relationship. In EAP and EAL sessions, clients practice their relationship skills with the horse in a safe, nonjudgemental way so they can become more confident using those skills out side of the EAP and EAL sessions.
What is the difference in EAP/EAL, hippotherapy, and therapeutic horseback riding?
With hippotherapy, clients are receiving physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy while riding or interacting with horses.
Will I get to ride a horse?
At this time, we will not be providing psychotherapy or learning experiences while riding a horse. Our work is done on the ground with the horse interacting at eye-level.
Who benefits the most from EAP or EAL?
Anyone! There are many benefits to EAP and EAL - EAP and EAL work for those who have tried other therapies which have not been as effective, such as traditional talk therapy. EAP and EAL are for those who are ready to take responsibility for their own growth and healing and who like to learn by doing.
Do you take insurance?
No. However, we will provide you with documentation to send to your insurance company to request reimbursement for services provided.
What are your EAP and EAL rates?
We can offer many types of sessions to our clients depending on their needs. Our standard sessions are:
Would you recommend the 50 minute session or the 90 minute session?
We recommend the 90 minute sessions for a few reasons:
Do you give riding lessons or board horses?
No. However, we know many people we can refer you to if you are interested in riding lessons or boarding.
Why should I choose EAP over other types of therapies?
Do you offer a preliminary free consultation to see if your services are right for me or my loved ones?
Yes. We offer a free 20 minute consultation to discuss your needs, if our services are a good fit for you, and to answer any questions you may have. To schedule a consultation, please email Info@ConnEQction.com.