New Zealand Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy That Brings Mental Health Professionals and Equine Specialists Together
The Mental Health Crisis in New Zealand and the Need for Innovative Solutions
Mental health challenges are a growing concern around the world, with the World Health Organization reporting that 1 in 8 people globally live with a mental health condition. In New Zealand, however, the situation is even more pressing. Nearly half of all New Zealanders (47 percent) will experience mental distress or illness at some point in their lives.
These staggering statistics underscore the urgent need for more effective and accessible mental health care in the country. Eagala is committed to addressing this mental health crisis by offering specialized training in its innovative equine-assisted psychotherapy model. This approach equips mental health professionals and equine specialists to work with complex conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, depression, domestic abuse, behavioral disorders, and trauma.
By providing the tools to address these issues in a holistic and transformative way, Eagala aims to ensure that more New Zealanders can access the care they need, fostering healthier communities and enhancing the quality of life across the country.
The Eagala Model: A Unique Approach to Mental Health Therapy
The Eagala Model offers a groundbreaking approach to therapy by harnessing the intuitive and non-judgmental nature of horses. Horses are highly attuned to human emotions and behaviors, making them ideal partners in the therapeutic process. Unlike traditional therapy, which often relies on verbal communication, equine-assisted psychotherapy allows clients to engage in a more experiential and emotionally impactful way.
Through their interactions with horses, clients are able to gain new perspectives on their challenges and develop self-awareness. The horses’ authentic and unbiased responses to human emotions enable clients to confront their own issues in a safe and supportive environment.
This powerful, non-verbal form of therapy helps individuals discover personal solutions to their challenges, leading to profound, lasting personal growth and recovery. The Eagala Model is particularly effective for individuals who may struggle to express their feelings in a traditional therapy setting, offering a dynamic and emotionally rich path to healing.
Boots on the Ground: The Non-Riding Aspect of Eagala Therapy
A distinctive feature of the Eagala Model is its non-riding approach, often referred to as “boots on the ground.” In Eagala sessions, clients do not ride horses, which sets this model apart from many other equine therapies. By removing the element of riding, clients can focus entirely on their emotional and behavioral interactions with the horse, free from the fear or pressure of having to learn how to ride.
This approach ensures a more honest exchange between the client and the horse, as the animal is free to react authentically to the client’s emotional state. For many clients, the absence of reins or saddles makes the experience feel more grounded and accessible, allowing them to engage with their emotions in a safer and more relaxed way.
This experiential form of psychotherapy is transformative, as it allows clients to explore and address their issues in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. In New Zealand, where mental health challenges are widespread, the Eagala Model offers a refreshing, effective alternative to more traditional models.
Bolster Your Mental Health Credentials with Eagala Certification in New Zealand
Becoming certified in the Eagala Model of equine-assisted psychotherapy is an excellent way to enhance your mental health credentials while offering a unique and effective form of therapy to your clients. Eagala-certified professionals in New Zealand are trained to work alongside equine specialists, combining their skills to help clients achieve personal breakthroughs through the therapeutic power of horses.
This certification equips you with the knowledge and tools to address complex issues such as trauma, addiction, PTSD, and behavioral disorders in a non-traditional, yet highly impactful way. By adding Eagala certification to your qualifications, you will be able to offer your clients a distinctive form of therapy that is deeply rooted in experiential learning and self-discovery.
The Eagala Model encourages clients to take ownership of their healing journey, empowering them to find solutions to their own challenges. This innovative approach not only broadens your skill set but also enables you to provide a powerful new resource for mental health care in New Zealand.
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