Equine Drug and Alcohol Addiction Therapy

Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) therapy is an experiential technique that uses horses, exotic animal, and objects to create a symbolic environment indicative of the client’s individual experiences. Using EAGALA therapy, the client interprets life circumstances and relates self-awareness to personal recovery. Overall, the client works to improve self-efficacy by creating, analyzing, and making connections to personal recovery through interpretive and symbolic activities.   Our Master Equine Therapist uses Virginia Satire therapy to foster therapeutic growth and change throughout this process.

How is Equine Therapy Part of a Drug Rehab Program?

When an individual forms a bond with a horse in an equine therapy program, that animal is a blank slate. It arrives into the relationship with no pre-conceived notions or opinions about the recovering addict. This provides an opportunity for the individual to understand how their behavior affects others. For many who have lived with drug addiction for years, this realization is tantamount to a breakthrough.

Throughout the course of the drug rehab treatment day, the individual will tend to their horse. A regular schedule will be maintained and just like counseling sessions or yoga classes the individual will be expected to attend on a regular basis.

Counselors play a role in equine therapy as well, talking to patients about their experiences while caring for the horses and building a metaphor between these tasks and the rebuilding of one’s life. The hope being that many of the positive things learned by the individual will become tools they can use to get clean and sober (and then stay that way post-rehab).

The Benefits of Equine Therapy

As mentioned above, the individual will benefit greatly from the new sense of responsibility that develops during equine therapy. Of equal importance is the fact that equine therapy replaces drug use with another, more positive activity. During drug rehab, many people simply need something to take their minds off things and equine therapy provides a soothing, fulfilling way to do just that.

Equine therapy is an important step in the addiction recovery process. Anything that re-teaches responsibility and brings about this type of introspection is going to elicit positive results.

Who Can Benefit from Equine Therapy?

Equine therapy is used to help a wide variety of different people across many psychological and physical spectrums. In terms of addiction treatment, equine therapy can help those who suffer from:

• Heroin addiction
• Cocaine addiction
• Crystal meth addiction
• Prescription drug addiction
• Alcohol addiction and other related conditions

Men and women of all ages and socio-economic groups can reap the benefits of equine therapy. All that is required is a dedication to change and a willingness to step outside of one’s comfort zone.

Contact Touchstone Ranch Recovery Center today to see if our equine rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addicts in Stephenville, TX is best for you or for a loved one.