Equine Assisted Learning is effective for a wide range of mental health disorders including addiction, depression, anxiety and trauma.  Our unique programs at Lucky Break Ranch use interaction horses which offers clients an alternative to typical therapy to connect with themselves, process their emotions and explore behavior and relationship patterns that have become problematic in their day-to-day lives. 

 

Clients are able to bond with the horses and learn valuable lessons about respect, empathy and communication, to list a few, that will help them in their journey to recovery.  The sheer size and strength of these majestic, gentle creatures can stir deeply buried emotions in clients.  Horses are natural healers in the process of reconnection, they see what we do not, guide us back to our truth and help us to find our core strength and resiliency to meet the challenges in our lives.

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Our programs recognize the growing body of experience that supports horse based experiential learning - especially for the people who don't naturally resonate towards talk therapy's.  Through our programs the horse becomes the metaphor to what is happening in the participants life and provides a mirror to reflect back information about their personality style, leadership style, communication style and coping responses.  In this safe space, participants explore their fears, build trust in themselves and others and develop their skills in a supportive and non-threatening environment away from the home and workplace.

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Who?

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This program is tailored to meet the needs of First Responders, Veterans, Victims of Trauma, Victims of Abuse, Addictions and Mental Health experiencing PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).   PTSD is caused by a psychologically traumatic event involving actual or threatened death or serious injury to oneself or others.  It can occur following the experience or witnessing of life altering events such as serious accidents, physical and sexual assaults.  PTSD can be triggered by a single event or it results from an accumulation of trauma that builds up over time.

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What Is It?   

 

Clients interact with horses with the help of specially trained facilitators.  Through objectively driven programs clients explore their own feelings, behaviours and interaction with others.

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Through the interactions with the horses, thoughts and behaviour patterns related to the issues that clients have brought into treatment are identified, and the customized experiential exercises address each individuals needs. 

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How It Helps?

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Through working with horses, clients gain valuable insights into themselves, their addictions and/or mental health and how they can better relate with themselves and others.

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Clients are often able to connect with and feel empathy for the horses before being able to connect or feel empathy for themselves or others.  They take initial risks by testing new possibilities in the context of a relationship with the horse, before taking the bigger risks with human interaction. 

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Benefits:

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Through our Building Block Programs, clients find it easier to speak their mind, process their emotions and connect with themselves and others in the community. Equine Assisted Learning brings emotions to the surface and clients begin working through them using the new life skills they acquire through the experiential life skills development programs.

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Other benefits include:

• Empathy and willingness to be vulnerable

• Sense of responsibility and self-confidence

• Communication, decision making and problem solving skills

• Ability to express feelings

• Ability to process and share difficult emotions

• Connection to self and others

• Understanding of team work and community

• Trust and respect

• Diversity and individuality  

No previous horse experience is required to participate in our workshops.  All activities are done on the ground and facilitated in partnership with the horses. 

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