These challenging times have brought many people to a crossroads where it is difficult to feel confident about the next step in the face of so much uncertainty. Many are searching for “something” to show them the way. People who work with horses would say that these special animals have been providing that “something” for them all along.   

As the field of equine-interactive learning and psychotherapy (EILP) continues to develop, the alternative therapeutic community has begun to recognize the power of horses to heal human beings. From programs that help veterans, to life coaching, to enhancing a mindfulness practice, EILP offers myriad possibilities for growth in people.   

At Equine Energetix we bring a clinical eye to working with horses, employing exercises that are grounded in psychodynamic theory and tapping the horse-human bond. Most EILP activities at Equine Energetix do not involve mounting a horse but center around such fun and challenging activities as moving horses around a round pen or trying to get horses through cones set up as a “pocket” in a game of Equine Billiards. Understanding that horses innately maintain the type of moment-to-moment awareness that most people find elusive, Equine Energetix offers “Mindfulness In Everyday Life” on May 19. The workshop will allow participants to explore mindfulness meditations in conjunction with equine-interactive exercises.   

For those who already love and work with horses, EILP offers a new way to relate to these animals. For others, it offers an opportunity to be involved with their power and magic without the commitment or athleticism that riding might require.

James Cassese, LCSW, is President of Equine Energetix, a private psychotherapist, Fulbright Scholar, and faculty member at the New York University Graduate School of Social Work. To learn more about Equine Energetix visit EquineEnergetix.com, email [email protected] or call 212.477.4475.