EAGALA DOWN UNDER
Sporting my iconic swandri, gumboots, camera and notebook, I arrived at the NZ Eagala Training Conference hosted by the fabulous Eagala certified Keenan sisters Renee and Bernie. The venue was the Kapiti Equestrian Center which is operated by The Kapiti Vaulting Club Inc. and offers professional quality riding instruction in a wide range of equestrian disciplines and comes highly recommended by the locals.
However, for the next six days we had the place to ourselves; covered arena, four horses and approximately 30 participants consisting of MH’s (mental health) and ES’s (equine specialist) and fabulous fodder for all. The setting was perfect for this congregation.
So what is EAGALA?
Some new age psycho mumbo jumbo on horseback? Another attempt to anthropomorphise our trusty steeds? Forgive my disparaging impression of a four legged equine (therapist) reclining in armchair, pencil between the Galvayne's asking his client…”so how did that make you feel”?
Well if President Obama, Dr Phil and Martin Clune give it the thumbs up then wild horses couldn’t have kept me away. Needless to say I did consume a healthy dose of humble pie over the ensuing week.
A little due diligence was required to enlighten me on this modality and I was surprised to discover that documentation of the use of animals in mental health treatment appears as early as 1792 (Trivedi & Perl, 1995).
EAGALA was founded in 1999 as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization developed to address the need for resources, education and professionalism in the fields of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning. The association sets the standard for professional excellence in how horses and humans work together to improve the quality of life and mental health of individuals, families and groups worldwide. EAGALA now has more than 3,500 members in 38 countries and continues to grow.
Check it out www.eagala.org
Back to the arena and I am pleased to make the acquaintance of the facilitators; Joe Lancia and Mark Lytle, both out from America and praying for some autumn sunshine in the antipodes. They may look like the average MH and ES team but these blokes pack pretty impressive bio’s;
Mark earned his AAS in Equine Science at Martin Community College in 1991. He began a career training Arabian horses on the national circuit. He has been working as a horse professional for 20 years. He began working with at-risk youth in a residential setting as an educational counselor for sexually reactive and abusive youth.
He oversaw the education and day treatment programs that included experiential ropes course therapy and developed the EAP program using the EAGALA model for Hand Up Homes for Youth, Inc. He is on the Board of Directors for the local saddle club association, a 4-H Horse and Pony Club leader and member of the NC Horse Council.
In 2005, he opened his own EAP outpatient company; along with his wife Becky called Head, Heart, Hands, and Horses. He is also an EAGALA Un-trainer for EAGALA’s certification program trainings.
Dr. Joe is a psychiatrist who maintains a private practice in upstate New York and is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry.
He is a Distinguished Fellow in the American Psychiatric Association. He has worked with individuals, couples and families for many years. In addition to his private practice he offers psychotherapy supervision to area therapists along with teaching seminars in psychotherapy and transpersonal psychiatry.
He offers EAP at Windhorse Farm, LLC as an extension to his general psychiatric practice. He has been raising and working with Arabian horses for a number of years with the intention of offering EAP and has maintained his horse farm in addition to his clinical practice. Dr. Lancia has spoken at national conferences on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.
He is advanced certified through EAGALA (the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association). Dr. Lancia facilitates trainings for EAGALA, in addition to being a mentor for individuals interested in advancing their proficiency in this work.
So how does Eagala work?
Horse as Metaphor and Therapist: offers a unique opportunity for the therapeutic use of metaphors. Horses elicit a range of emotions and behaviors in humans, which can be used as a catalyst for personal awareness and growth (Zugich et al., 2002).
The following are some abridged excerpts from www.eagala.org (aka the experts.) They tell it so much better than I ever could;
“EAGALA teaches Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) which focuses on experiential, ground-based activities. The EAGALA treatment team (a Mental Health Professional and Equine Specialist) works with the client in creative horse-centered activities designed to address specific treatment goals, producing spectacular results. Often during a session, the horse or experience can initiate an “Aha” moment that impacts that client’s way of thinking or behaving. After the session, the client takes away key experiences and can begin to make lifelong changes."
"The EAGALA Model is unique because it utilizes a team approach and focuses on ground-based activities. In addition, EAGALA’s approach is solution-oriented and adheres to a professional code of ethics. The EAGALA Model is a powerful and effective therapeutic approach that has an incredible impact on individuals, youth, families and groups. EAP addresses a variety of mental health and human development needs including behavioral issues, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, abuse, trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship problems and communication challenges."
And who can benefit from Eagala?
The enduring thing about Eagala is that it is cross cultural, has no age or gender boundaries and deals with a wide range of behavioural and health issues serving a varied population in need; At-risk youth, active military and veterans, addicts, criminal offenders, trauma survivors, families, couples, corporate groups and management.
But why horses?
Naturally intimidating to many, horses are large and powerful. This creates a natural opportunity for some to overcome fear and develop confidence. Working alongside a horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides wonderful insight when dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations in life.
Like humans, horses are social animals, with defined roles within their herds. They would rather be with their peers. They have distinct personalities, attitudes and moods; an approach that works with one horse won’t necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun. In other words, horses provide vast opportunities for metaphorical learning, an effective technique when working with even the most challenging individuals or groups.
Horses require us to work, whether in caring for them or working with them. In an era when immediate gratification and the “easy way” are the norm, horses require people to be engaged in physical and mental work to be successful, a valuable lesson in all aspects of life.
Most importantly, horses mirror human body language. Many complain, “This horse is stubborn. That horse doesn’t like me,” etc. The lesson is that if they change themselves, the horses respond differently. Horses are honest, which makes them especially powerful messengers.”
Throughout the entire 6 days I had a nagging thought in my mind that I was sure to witness phenomena in the arena, something I had never seen in all my years of working with horses. Something that would say WOW Eagala is unique.
The fact is that I was thinking too hard with my head looking for an angle. What I did see, real or role played was enough to elicit a familiar response of mine when absorbed in my horses; hair on the back of my neck prickling, a swell of reluctant tears, a warming with pride and a shortness of breath…my goodness I was in therapy! Phew it’s ok relax, no-one was watching.
Eagala has taken age old wisdoms and timeless interspecies relationships and applied them to our modern world of mental health issues where the standard clinical practices have become stale and ineffective and the need for a unique approach has been met by this modality.
The horses were beautiful to the touch, patient, curious, funny and ultimately as honest as a horse can be. If we can work with these innate equine qualities via the Eagala model to address some of our human frailties and someday look into that metaphoric mirror and smile with recognition then it is a good day indeed and if the social stigma of mental health can fall and the clients afforded some healing via the Eagala platform then I concur with Barack Obama, Dr Phil and Martin Clune by doing my bit to spread the word and raise awareness (note to self……need royal tick…..send facebook friend request to Mr Windsor)
Furthermore if I was a horse and got to hang out with my buddies in the arena, without a rider bumping and banging around up there or jabbing on my mouth and still got my quota of hay and a nice little fee for just being the horse I am, well pick me please.
Need to know more about Eagala or keen to become certified please just follow the link and enjoy the opportunity to learn a little or a lot, I did!
www.eagala.org
Research…..Frewin, K. & Gardiner, B. (2005). New age or old sage? A review of equine assisted psychotherapy. The Australian Journal of Counselling Psychology, 6, pp13-17.
Klontz, B.T., Bivens, A., Leinart, D. & Klontz, T. (2007). The effectiveness of equine-assisted experiential therapy: Results of an open clinical trial. Society and Animals, 15 (2007), 257-267
