Equine Facilitated Wellness
Equine Facilitated Wellness (“EFW”) at Valley is a space of growth and psychological safety: an unbiased, nonjudgmental environment, where you can explore your emotions surrounded by the majesty of nature. The work is science-based with spiritual ornamentation, with activities designed to guide you to a place of harmony with yourself.
It is impossible to communicate the full breadth of what you can expect at an EFW session, as each session is specifically tailored to you and your needs. What you do will also depend upon which approach you choose. You may find, for example, that your first session begins with an introduction to EFW and a number of connective exercises, including Meet The Herd. At the end of your first session, you may be able to bond with a horse of your choice. Your next sessions could involve connective exercises with a horse of your choice. However, it may be that you spend each session with one particular horse, and that your activities seldom vary.
Every EFW experience is unique, because everyone’s personal journey is unique.
Reflection is an important part of EFW, and sessions are spread over weeks in order to provide you with ample time to absorb what you have experienced.
Equine Facilitated Wellness works like a pyramid, with the facilitator at the top as observer, responder, and shaper. The horse and client mutually reinforce one another at the base, with the horse acting as teacher. In the end, the facilitator is there to interpret the horse’s behaviour in relation to your own.
Equine Facilitated Wellness
Facilitator: Janette Carr
Equine Facilitated Wellness at Valley follows three distinct approaches, each focusing upon a different aspect integral to mental health and healing.
The first of these approaches is true Equine Facilitated Wellness. In this approach, the practitioner and client manage mental and emotional challenges before they become overwhelming. Some might call this approach preventative, but the clinical nature of such a term does not do the experience of this approach justice. EFW is a means to embark upon an emotional journey that allows clients to do the following, among others:
Combined with the use of experiential learning horses, EFW will help you to be present, mindful and to facilitate change.
Please note that, depending upon where you are mentally, you may find more benefit from a more traditional counselling approach in our Equine Counselling or our blended EFW + Equine Counselling. We offer these options because every one of us will be in a different place with our mental health, and it is up to us and/or our caregivers to decide the extent of the help we need to receive.
$150
per 60-minute session
Traditional Counselling in the Presence of Horses
Facilitator: Janette Carr
The second of our core approaches is Traditional Counselling in the Presence of Horses. In this approach, the practitioner and client manage mental and emotional challenges after they have become overwhelming. Whereas Equine Facilitated Wellness on its own can be considered preventative, Valley’s traditional counselling approach is deep and methodical treatment for when you are in the midst of working on difficult emotional situations. In addition to the points outlined in Equine Facilitated Wellness, traditional counselling provides ongoing treatment for the following, among others:
Trauma
Anxiety disorders
Depression
Please note that, depending upon where you are mentally, you may find the above more fairly treated with Equine Facilitated Wellness. We offer these options because every one of us will be in a different place with our mental health, and it is up to us and/or our caregivers to decide the extent of the help we need to receive.
Traditional Counselling in the Presence of Horses focuses more intently upon individuals who are in the midst of battling a mental illness or emotional challenge.
$150*
per 60-minute session
*Extended benefits can apply.
Please check with your insurance provider to confirm coverage.
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