Equine Therapy at MESA
There is something
about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a (hu)man. ~Winston Churchill
As you may know, MESA hosts an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
(EAP) group, Wild at Heart, for sexual assault survivors. EAP is
psychotherapy with the addition of a
horse, or in this case a group of horses.
The incorporation of horses in therapy provides an experiential method
for growth and learning that goes beyond traditional methods. The groups are led by Jackie Ashley, MA, LPC,
ADTR, who is a body-based psychotherapist, a registered Dance Movement
Therapist, and holds a Level 1 certification in EAP.
MESA has hosted two support groups and plans to host more
groups starting this spring. A group of
approximately six sexual assault survivors meets weekly for eight weeks at an
outdoor barn in Longmont where magic occurs in the arena.
As part of the group, Jackie facilitates the spontaneous
crafting of a group poem, where each participant gives a line or so. Perhaps we can see the effectiveness of this
approach through these words from the participants themselves:
Aloneness
Herd holds all,
Magical, powerful, expansive
space,
Quiet introspection,
Big velvety lips! Oh the muscles!
Overwhelming peace and
a touch of laughter enters.
Humans are pretty O.K.
Read the full article.
Equine Therapy Inservice
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy & Women Survivors of Sexual Trauma: An inservice for providers and clinicians presented by Jackie Ashley, LPC, ADTR, EAGALA 1. This will be ashort introduction to the field of Equine Facilitated Psychoterapy's application to the healing of sexual trauma. Hoses have proven to be powerful allies in this process. This will be an informational as well as experiential even held outdoors with horses. Space is limited.
Saturday, March 22, 10am - 12pm
Sleeping Indian Ranch Retreat, Longmont
For information please call Jackie Ashley directly: 720-308-2728
