This summer, campers during Camp Phoenix had the unique opportunity to develop trust and growth through relationships with insightful animals who have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. 

This summer, Phoenix Center collaborated with Spirit Reins to expand equine therapy activities during our camps.  This collaboration provided an opportunity for campers to learn how to build healthy relationships. 

For each overnight camp session, horses from Spirit Reins were transported to camp to be participants of Camp Phoenix. Campers had the opportunity to experience Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and begin 'Relationship Work' with the horse of their choice. 

EAP is an experiential form of counseling that utilizes horses as an integral part of the therapeutic process. Horses are prey animals who are aware of and respond honestly to everything that is happening in the present moment - keeping their safety and security as the top priority at all times. It is the horse's honesty that is an integral part of therapy and the relationship between human and horse. For example, horses sense the sincerity and emotional state of the human trying to form a relationship with them.  

Through the use of the EAP model, campers learned how healthy relationships can be established and built upon. The way a horse thinks and interacts helps children and adolescents in their relationships with people. Do they allow the horse to make choices for them? Do they make choices for the horse?  Do they work together? Since horses offer instant feedback, children's relationship work with the horse often leads to discussions of human relationships as the dynamics are often the same.  For example, becoming angry or shutting down when challenges arise within the human-horse relationship - and overcoming these challenges through practicing new relationship skills - allows children to make connections to relationships with important people in their lives.  After a session with her horse, one camper said "Now I know how my grandmother feels."

Working with an animal that weighs, 800 to 1200 pounds also helps children and adolescents build confidence and self-esteem.

 Camper Quotes

"It was so neat for the horse follow me... It was like leading with an invisible rope!"

"I had never been so close to a horse before. 

It was neat to get to work with them."

"They're really big but they want to be our friends."

"The Horse and His Girl"

A Heartwarming True Story

 Written by a Camp Phoenix Camper

"I had never been to a camp before so I was not sure what to expect. On the first night we had the opportunity to meet the horses and choose which horse we were going to work with. I chose Cricket because I noticed he was not the easiest horse to work with and was very sensitive. 

When Cricket ignored me, I became discouraged. But as the weekend progressed I learned his moods and how to get his attention. Eventually I got Cricket to follow me. He had sticker burrs tangled in his mane... I realized that when you don't have someone to take care of you for a long time, it can hurt. It takes time to begin to trust someone enough to help get the sticker burrs out. We spent time getting to know each other and building a healthy relationship. Eventually on Sunday morning, I felt I trusted Cricket and Cricket trusted me enough to climb on his back. As we walked together, it seemed like we were both checking in with each other to make sure the other was okay. It began to feel like we were dancing. I slowly put my arms out to my side and felt like I was flying. 

The entire time I was on him it was amazing. There is nothing else like it in the whole world."