Equine and Nature -Assisted Therapy
About Equine-Assisted Therapy
Experience counselling in a different way – through the unique connection between humans and horses. Children, teens, and adults participate in therapy alongside our equine
co-therapists, creating opportunities for insight, trust, emotional connection, and personal growth. For individuals who have found traditional talk therapy challenging, working with horses can provide a gentle and engaging pathway to healing and self-discovery.
Registered Psychologist Dani-Lyn Neufeld offers Equine-Assisted Therapy in partnership with Hooves of Hope Ranch in Millet. To meet the horses and other animal partners involved in the program, visit Hooves of Hope Ranch.
https://www.hoovesofhoperanch.com
Equine-Assisted Counselling is a specialized form of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) in which interactions with horses are integrated into the therapeutic process under the guidance of a registered psychologist. Sessions may include structured activities as well as more natural, relationship-based interactions, depending on each client’s goals and needs.
Our therapeutic approach is flexible and individualized, drawing from a variety of evidence-informed modalities, including:
Attachment-based therapy
Play therapy
Solution-Focused Therapy
Client-Centered Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Systems Theory
Natural horsemanship principles
By partnering with these intuitive and responsive animals,
clients are offered a supportive, experiential environment where meaningful change can occur through connection, reflection, and shared experience.
Research on animal-assisted interventions suggests that working with horses can support improvements in both emotional and psychological well-being. Potential benefits include:
Greater self-esteem and self-confidence
Increased self-awareness
Enhanced empathy and emotional understanding
Improved focus and concentration
Stronger communication and relationship skills
Growth in positive social behaviours
Reduced stress and anxiety
Relief from symptoms of depression
Decreased trauma-related distress and behavioural challenges
What does a typical session look like?
Sessions may take place with an individual horse, a herd of horses, or, depending on therapeutic goals, alongside other animal partners such as miniature horses, ponies, or goats. Therapy is conducted in a variety of natural settings around the ranch, including the pasture, round pen, arena, or barn, allowing clients to engage in a calm and supportive environment.
Activities are tailored to each client’s needs and may include:
- Leading a horse
- Grooming
- Navigating obstacle courses
- Equine-inspired creative activities
- Liberty work, where clients interact with horses without ropes or halters, encouraging authentic connection and observation
Please note that equine-assisted counselling does not involve horseback riding.
Nature-Assisted Therapy
Nature Assisted Therapy is a therapeutic approach that involves natural elements and the outdoors in the healing process. The phrase “touch grass” isn’t just a trend but has real merit behind it.
Our world today is ever revolving around technology, screens, devices, media and A.I. Taking us further and further away from our natural connection with our earth and leaving us with increased anxiety, depression and other mental health stresses.
Studies regarding the impact of interacting with nature, plants, grass, dirt and animals have shown that these elements can provide relief from psychological distress, including reduction in depression and anxiety with reports of feeling more satisfied with life [1]. An interesting fact about dirt is a microorganism called Mycobacterium vaccae that resides in dirt and has been shown to have immune-regulating properties. Not only has it been shown to increase immune response, but other studies have indicated that this microorganism can activate cells in the brain, releasing serotonin, the happy chemical which is similar to how antidepressant medications work in the brain [2]. Taking time to reconnect with nature has the potential to improve our physical, mental and social well-being [3].
At Family Counselling Centres we offer the opportunity to get back to nature and re-connect with our primal selves; taking time to “just be.” Forget the busyness and stress of the daily grind, breathe in the fresh air, touch the grass, sit by the pond and watch the birds fly by. Sessions take place at Hooves of Hope with therapist Dani-Lyn Neufeld. Each session is tailored to the individual’s needs and interests.
References:
[1] Yang, Kim, Kang, et al. (2023). The effectiveness of nature-based therapy for community psychological distress and well-being during covid-19; a multi-site trial. Scientific Reports 13, 22370. The effectiveness of nature-based therapy for community psychological distress and well-being during COVID-19: a multi-site trial | Scientific Reports
[2] Foxx CL, Heinze JD, Gonzalez, et al. (2021). Effects of immunization with the soil-derived bacterium mycobacterium vacce on stress coping behaviors and cognitive performance in a “two hit” stressor model. Front Physiol. 5;11:524833. Effects of Immunization With the Soil-Derived Bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae on Stress Coping Behaviors and Cognitive Performance in a “Two Hit” Stressor Model – PMC
[3] Annerstedt & Wahrburg (2011). Nature assisted therapy: systematic review of controlled and observational studies. Scand J Public Health, E pub. 39 (4): 371-88. Nature-assisted therapy: systematic review of controlled and observational studies – PubMed
