Connecting Through horses is a 5 month program for Adults in the I/DD community that live in Denver county. that will be working with horses in a group setting, designed to get you out in the sunshine and develop meaningful relationships with others. Horses are expert nonverbal communicators. They rely on body language to communicate in their social situations. Explore your own landscape of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and life experiences in a safe process in collaboration with your Eagala facilitators in a group setting.
Where traditional talk therapy leaves off, involving horses in the process empowers you to ‘see’ your behaviors and how those behaviors impact you and others. Horses help you identify your feelings, and have a special ability to help you work through emotional and behavioral barriers without shame or stigma. Working with horses has the benefit of helping to illuminate your behaviors and emotions in a way that traditional talk therapy cannot.
By nature, horses do not judge or interpret. This allows you to work through your life struggles in a gentle and emotionally safe way, without any feeling of judgment or interpretation by another person. Understanding where your struggles come from, and what to do with them, becomes easier. When facilitated by the professional treatment team, working with the horses allows you to receive unbiased feedback into reasons why you respond the way you do, in ways that maybe you haven’t realized.
Some other benefits in the 5-month program are being outside in the sunshine, light physical activity, and relationship-building with the horses and others in the group. This makes it more engaging, which fosters you to quickly and deeply get to the bottom of your issues, even when nothing else has worked. The horses’ unique sensitivities and special capacity to read and respond to your non-verbal cues can lead you to powerful emotional breakthroughs and life-changing insights. Come meet new friends while working with horses. Use this time to work on your social skills, relaxation skills, and coping skills.
Marie is the Lead Equine Specialist. Has 10 years facilitating sessions under the Eagala model as an Equine Specialist. She was raised in North Dakota and started working with horses at a very young age. Marie learned how powerful relationships with horses can be as an adolescent. Especially because her father was a licensed mental health professional, her interest in psychology created her vision of working with people and with horses for the betterment of both. This came from a deep longing to be of service in a way that also fulfilled her own passion of love for the outdoors and working with horses. Marie’s professional breadth of knowledge extends from military/veteran individuals and families to clients suffering from addiction, depression, and suicidal ideation; from those on the Autistic Spectrum and who have ADHD and other learning differences to terminally ill clients; and clients suffering from anxiety, grief and loss challenges. She has worked with a diverse group of Mental Health practitioners, is an avid animal lover and advocate, and is dedicated to continually deepen and extend her knowledge, her skills, and her ability to serve clients with the Eagala Model.
David Miller, is the Licensed Mental Health professional. He has been working with people with autism for almost 35 years and is the mental health specialist on board. He has been utilizing the Eagala model for the last 8 years and has excellent knowledge of people on the spectrum. David feels like this will help get some out of their shells and into the real world. Connecting with others who have similar issues can help create a social network that can lead to a life of laughs, fun and connection in which all people need.
The Eagala Model is a team approach that includes a licensed, credentialed Mental Health Professional, a qualified Equine Specialist, and horses working together with the client in an arena at all times. When inside the arena, all the work is done on the ground with the horses’ front and center, deliberately unhindered and never ridden, and allowed to interact with the client as they wish. This creates the space for the client, with the support of the professional facilitators, to reflect, project, and make deep connections. Please visit www.eagala.org for more information on the model.
The facility at Colorado Equine Specialist in Parker, CO is beautiful. There is an outdoor arena and indoor arena with two other pastures that we can wonder off in. There is a calming place with a tv and bathroom. All current state COVID-19 guidelines will be followed. So, we ask that each participant brings a mask for the times everyone is in close proximity to each other.
Space is limited to 10 people so you will need to register. If the group is filled, you will be put on the waiting list. You must be able to prove that you live in Denver County. Free transportation is available. Guardians and parents are welcome to stay and connect with other guardians and parents.
This program does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
For any questions about the Facility or Program contact Marie Hancock at Marie@ColoradoEquineTherapy.org
Dates for Connecting Through Horses:
Session 1: June 4th 2022 - 12pm - 3pm
Session 2: June 18th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 3: July 9th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 4: July 30th 2022 -12pm - 2pm
Session 5: August 13th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 6: August 20th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 7: September 10th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 8: September 24th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 9: October 8th 2022 - 12pm - 2pm
Session 10: October 29th 2022 - 12pm - 3pm
Space is Limited to 10 people. Since this is a funded program, we ask that you make the commitment to attend all of the sessions in the program. If you know you are not able to make all of them, please contact us before you register, to provide further explanation. If you plan to miss a few, please allow for others to register that are able to make every session. Thank You - Colorado Equine Specialist.