Equine-Assisted Therapy in Suwanee
AN INNOVATIVE COMPONENT OF ADDICTION TREATMENT
Equine-assisted therapy can be a highly effective form of non-traditional treatment for addiction. Equine therapy doesn’t involve riding with horses. Rather, it’s about interacting with horses through a series of specific exercises.
All equine-assisted therapies conducted by The Carter Treatment Center are led by trained therapists in conjunction with an equine specialist. The objective of equine therapy is to strengthen and develop non-verbal and verbal communication at the same time as building on relationship skills.
BENEFITS OF EQUINE THERAPY
Many people who participate in equine therapy find that they experience an enhanced feeling of confidence and improved self-esteem. The responsibility of working with and taking care of another living creature often results in participants experiencing emotional, psychological, and spiritual growth.
Building up a level of rapport and trust with a horse also allows people to let their guard down, often for the first time in their lives. Interestingly, horses mirror people’s body language, which provides an excellent lesson for many people to experience. The horse will respond differently based on a person’s non-verbal cues, so the opportunity to gain insight into how others perceive you is enormous.
People often assume they need to feel comfortable being around horses in order to participate in equine assisted therapy. However, even those people who are uncomfortable around horses achieve meaningful experiences.
WHY WE BELIEVE IN EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY
It’s common for people to ask why horses are involved with this type of therapy instead of other animals. Horses are chosen because they are large and powerful, which makes them intimidating to many people. In a therapeutic setting, people have a natural opportunity to learn to overcome fear and build confidence, which is ideal for providing a level of insight into dealing with other intimidating or challenging circumstances throughout life.
Studies show that working with horses and other animals can be a great way to reduce stress and relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. Working with animals also helps to reduce blood pressure and lower the heart rate.
To learn more about equine-assisted therapy, call our addiction treatment center in Cumming, GA at (678) 737-4430, or in Suwanee at (678) 498-6313. We serve the John’s Creek, Milton, Dawsonville, Roswell, Gainesville, and Canton areas.
