Equine Therapy

“Horses help us identify who we are, what we want, and what really matters every time we are privileged to be in their presence.” – Gretchen Mayer, LCSW

Thank you for your interest in equine therapy. Equine therapy is an alternative therapeutic approach that uses horses to elicit insight and ultimately the change process. Clients are asked to perform exercises (on or off the horse) that can evoke confusion, fear, or frustration that come with learning a new skill. Usually clients handle these emotions similarly to how they resolve conflict in general throughout their lives.

Horses are unique in their reflecting capacity. In essence, the way a person interacts with a horse mirrors how they engage with others and handle situations in life. Are they pushy or passive, intense or calm, or unable to establish boundaries? Additionally, how easily a person develops trust, takes control, and communicates are some of the skills demonstrated by equine therapy. Once the horse helps to reveal part of one’s character, a person can identify their challenges so that true change can occur.

To learn more about equine therapy or to set up an initial consultation, please call Gretchen Mayer at (818) 706-9933.