Equine Therapy for Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are a type of mental illness that is quite dangerous. Eating disorders are among the most lethal mental conditions, yet they may be managed. Eating disorders are all too common.

In fact, it is projected that approximately 9% of Americans will acquire an eating issue during their lives.

There are several approaches to treating eating disorders, each with its own set of advantages. Equine therapy is one therapeutic option for eating disorders.

What is Equine Therapy and How Does It Work?

Equine therapy is a sort of psychotherapy that uses horses to help people. Horses are used in therapy to help clients make behavioral and emotional improvements. These adjustments are intended to help someone achieve improved emotional well-being.

Eating disorders are categorized as a mental ailment. Eating disorders may appear to be centered around food or body image on the surface. Unresolved emotions, on the other hand, are often at the basis of an eating problem, which someone is seeking to cope with through disordered behaviors.

When a person suffers at least two mental illnesses at the same time, this is known as co-occurring mental illness. People with eating disorders frequently have co-occurring mental conditions.

In fact, 97 percent of those with eating problems also suffer from another mental disease. The following are common co-occurring disorders in people with eating disorders:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of OCD.
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder caused by a traumatic event.
• Substance abuse disorder

Equine therapy can also assist people in working through the psychological symptoms of eating disorders and other mental illnesses.

Hamer Equine Assisted Learning (H.E.A.L) offers physically and psychologically safe experiences with horses. We provide participants with the opportunity to explore issues that may be troubling them or simply to enjoy being in the space with the horses.To know more what we do.

What is Equine Therapy and How Does It Work?

Equine therapy typically consists of a mental health clinician, a horse, and maybe an equine specialist. The human-horse link is employed as a therapeutic tool. Equine therapy is particularly effective because of the human-horse bond.

The bond that people form with the horse can be deeply healing, similar to the healing component of a therapist-client relationship. Treatment goals are met by combining the relationship with the skills taught.Equine Therapy Types Different methods of equestrian therapy exist. For persons seeking mental health treatment, not all modalities of equine therapy are used. Equine therapy can be used to treat eating disorders in the following ways:

• Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) is a type of mental health therapy that uses horses or an equine-related setting to provide services. Physical, occupational, and speech-language pathology can all benefit from EAT.
• Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) is a method of teaching individuals life skills through equine-related activities.
• Therapeutic Riding is a technique that involves riding a horse to achieve emotional goals.

All of these methods include horses in some way, although in different ways. Individual and group therapy sessions can be provided by equine therapists.

For more information on equine therapy in Victoria, click here to visit our website.

What Are the Advantages of Equine Therapy in the Treatment of Eating Disorders?

Animals are used in other types of treatment. Horses, on the other hand, have unique characteristics that make them particularly effective healing companions. Horses are prey animals, which means they must be extremely aware of their surroundings in order to survive.

Horses are masters at being present and responding to nonverbal emotional cues as a result. This effectively transforms horses into a crystal clear reflection of people’s emotional states. This has special emotional and physical effects.

Equine Therapy’s Emotional Advantages

Horses, as previously said, are continuously examining nonverbal clues such as body language in order to interpret and react appropriately to their surroundings.

People’s emotions, whether expressed verbally or nonverbally, will be reflected back to horses. This can be beneficial for persons who have trouble connecting with their emotions and genuine self.

This can be beneficial for persons with eating problems because eating disorder sufferers often struggle to express their emotions. Because the horse reflects your emotions back to you, you have the opportunity to not only become aware of your emotions, but also to learn how to manage them.

Most eating disorder treatment regimens include learning to regulate emotions as a key therapy aim. This is due to the fact that disordered actions can be an attempt to cope with bad emotions. During treatment, substituting alternative coping methods for disordered eating is tremendously beneficial.

Equine therapy can also help with emotional issues:

• Improved self-confidence
• Improved Trustworthiness
• Improved relational abilities
• Better Relationship Quality

Equine Therapy Physical Benefits

Traditional therapy does not include any physical contact. While these industry norms and expectations were created in order to maintain therapy safe for mental health consumers.

Non-sexual touch, on the other hand, is essential for humans. Hugging or touching someone’s hand, arm, or upper back are examples of non-erotic touch. Equine therapy entails a lot of touching between the horse and the client.

Why is Equine Therapy so Effective in the Treatment of Eating Disorders?

Certain symptoms or personality features are typical among those who suffer from eating disorders. According to new research, treating personality factors that feed into disordered behavior is effective for eating disorder treatment.Among these personality qualities are:

• Perfectionism
• Impulsivity
• Rigidity, such as an unwillingness to explore new things or a tendency to categorize things as excellent or bad

Equine treatment has been demonstrated to be effective in interrupting existing patterns and assisting people in forming new ones.

Additionally, people with eating disorders frequently experience worries of abandonment in relationships or find it difficult to be emotionally close to others.

People with eating problems can use equine therapy to work through their issues and build new relationship patterns. People can work past toxic feelings that arise in relationships by developing a relationship with a safe being, such as a horse.

Someone can combine this with each new relationship encounter until their new relationship skills become habitual and comfortable. Equine therapy offers unique healing possibilities during the eating disorder recovery process because of the power of interaction and experience learning.