Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy & Equine Assisted Learning

Joy Nussen Timsit, LMFT

Summary:

The key to transforming our lives is the same in every great self-improvement practice: quiet that self- talk. Until we create inner silence, literally, peace of mind, we are unable to transform our lives into more peaceful and purposeful ones. The reason the horse can become such a gifted teacher for us is because it does not need an inner voice. Rather than using words or vocalizations, which are sounds that help a predator pinpoint its prey, horses have learned how not to make sounds and how to make sense from being, not thinking. EquineWorks, Inc (EW) was formed in 2009 by Joy N. Timset to provide innovative psychotherapy services incorporating the use of horses. Through a series of ‘non riding’ activities, a skilled team consisting of a mental health professional and equine specialist identify unique behaviors and patterns displayed by a client during their interaction with a horse and offer metaphors to the client for relating these observations to their life challenges.

While technology has blessed our lives in numerous ways, it frequently isolates us, keeps us out of touch with our true selves and further from “nature.” Horses keep our wild/natural side alive and healthy, and offer balance in what can be a very unbalanced existence. We are texting and instant messaging instead of face-to-face communicating and our loved ones are having an increasingly difficult time knowing how to talk directly with one another. Our equine-assisted activities create opportunities for improving communication skills and re-connecting. Due to the state of the economy in CA and with so many out of work, there are increased feelings of hopelessness and more than ever, a need for creative problem solving. Our equine-assisted activities create opportunities to gain insight into one’s coping strategies and to think outside “the box”.

Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify the goals of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy & Equine Assisted Learning.

2. Attendees will be able to identify how horses differ from using dogs or other pets for behavioral health services.

3. Participants will be able to identify a minimum of 3 ways that EAP differs from office-based psychotherapy.

4. Attendees will be able to identify populations that EAP and EAL can benefit.

Bio:

Joy Nussen Timsit, the founder and executive director of EquineWorks, is a CA licensed Marriage & Family Therapist of 21 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from UCLA in 1984 and her graduate degree in Educational Psychology from California State University at Northridge, in 1988. Joy is certified by the internationally recognized Equine Assisted Growth & Learning Association (EAGALA) to utilize horses experientially for mental health treatment and human development. EAGALA has over 3,500 members in 40 countries and there are now over 500 EAGALA programs. Services help change the lives of people with a diverse range of struggles such as street children in Mexico and South Africa, those suffering from addictions, depression and trauma, and improving relationships in families and groups.  More Equine info: Joy Nussen Timsit 14 Brookmont, Irvine, CA 92604 949-333-1233 Cell: 949-422-6355

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy Synopsis

In our August IE CAMFT meeting, we had the pleasure of hearing from Joy Nussen Timsit, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 21 years, as well as the founder and executive director of EquineWorks. Joy educated us on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), which is the practice of utilizing horses experientially for mental health treatment and human development. Joy is certified by the internationally recognized Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA), which has over 3,500 members in 40 countries and now over 500 EAGALA programs. Joy founded Equine Works Inc. in 2009 to provide innovative psychotherapy services through incorporating horses into the therapy sessions.

Through a series of non-riding activities, a skilled team consisting of a mental health professional and equine specialist identifies unique behaviors and patterns displayed by a client during their interactions with a horse. While other animals have been used in the helping professions, there are a number of benefits in using horses. Horses live in families or herds like humans, which allows for metaphoric opportunities. Horses also have very distinct personalities, moods and attitudes, which allows clients to use different approaches for different horses because, like humans, what works for one horse may not work for another.

The main benefit of using horses for therapy that is unique to horses is that they are prey animals rather than predator animals. Because horses are prey animals, they have an exceptional ability to read nonverbal behavior. This exceptional ability allows horses to act as silent therapists, as they mirror the client's non-verbal behavior forcing clients to change their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors to get different results in the sessions. EAP sessions can take place with little or no talking, which allows humans to get past the cognitive barriers of speech. EAP is an experiential modality by nature due to the learning through interaction with the horses. The interactions and reflections of EAP offer the client metaphors for the challenges in their own lives. EAP therapists find that offering metaphors often leads to less defensiveness, and re-directing focus onto the horse reduces or eliminates power struggles.

Through EAP, clients:

• ·         Identify current beliefs and attitudes
• ·         Must practice new strategies to achieve goals (learn through trial and error)
• ·         Can access kinesthetic learning
• ·         Experience and work through the unknown because each experience and solution is unique to the client and the horse

A great value of EAP is the wide variety of populations it can benefit. The research suggests that EAP can benefit clients of almost all ages, with almost any problem or symptom ranging from depression to substance abuse to PTSD. The only populations that may not benefit from EAP are clients younger than 3 years old and clients suffering from psychosis. EAP can also be beneficial for group/team work for business and workforces such as units of firefighters or corporations who need to work more closely together. While it is not required for therapists practicing EAP to be certified with an organization such as EAGALA; such certification is legally and ethically suggested because organizations such as EAGALA provide evidenced-based frameworks to work from.

Joy works in the SPUD'S framework. EAGALA developed SPUD'S framework to guide EAGALA certified therapists as to what to focus on: S- Shifts: Therapists look for shifts in the horses behaviors. P- Patterns: Shifts with humans; something that keeps repeating with humans and horses. Ex: The client trying to use the same techniques with the horse over and over again despite them not working. U- Unique: Something that stands out with the humans and/or horses D- Discrepancies: Saying one thing and doing or feeling something different. The horses pick up on this right away because what is said does not matter with the horses! 'S- Our stuff: Awareness of our countertransference, which is always a must in any type of psychotherapy. By using the SPUD'S framework, EAP therapists can ensure they are using the horses to their full potential and focusing on what is necessary to benefit the clients in the therapy sessions.

We would like to thank Joy Nussen for introducing us to Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. EAP is a unique, evidence-based therapy modality that can benefit a wide variety of populations. It offers a broad spectrum of benefits, especially for those for whom "traditional" psychotherapy has not been successful. If you have any questions about EAP or would like more information, please contact Joy Nussen by email at joynussen@equineworks.com or at 949-422-6355. You can also visit www.equineworks.com or www.EAGALA.org. These websites include photos and videos of EAP in action. Thank you again Joy for your interesting and educational presentation about EAP!