Trauma Based Therapy
Heal trauma with Integrative Equine Therapy (IET), a horse-centered, natural therapy that builds new neural pathways and changes habitual reactions permanently. There’s no riding involved in IET. Our specially selected horses, together with a trained IET therapist work with you in a natural setting, using an evidence-based protocol that helps identify trauma, and alleviate the pain that comes along with it. Call us today for more information.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is the body and mind's response to distressing events. When something traumatic happens, our minds try to protect themselves. However, most times, we cannot heal from trauma by ourselves since our minds cannot passively connect the neurons from the unconscious to the conscious. This can lead to phobias, mental distress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of trauma include irritability, self-isolation, and insomnia just to name a few.
Acute trauma is from one single event, where chronic trauma is a result of repeated and prolonged abuse. Varied events and psychological or emotional trauma can damage the psyche since it has survived through an extremely frightening or alarming event. PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder is often a symptom of these types of traumatic experiences with daily triggers that can make it difficult or impossible to function in a normal life and navigate healthy relationships.
Integrative Equine Therapy (IET) does not involve riding or caring for the horses. Beachwood's trained IET therapists and specially bred horses work in a naturally peaceful setting providing the support for trauma clients to shift automatic responses to healthy behaviors. IET will help reduce trauma responses and symptoms of PTSD.
Integrative Equine Therapy as a PTSD therapy works to identify trauma and heal your body and mind.
Trauma Client Testimonial
Our client entered the paddock for the first time, and one of our horses turned around and walked away as far as possible. As her therapy progressed, and her trauma response lessened, her horse stayed close by, providing empathic feedback. IET helped her where other treatments and a hospital stay program had failed. Of course, everyone is unique, but the shifting of perspective is inevitable if a client engages in the process.