The O.K. Corral Series
Yerington, NV

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"Invitation To Innovation"
Training For Equine-Assisted Programs

The Invitation
This month, the top equine-assisted residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools in the nation are being invited to "Innovation" in the way they conduct their equine assisted training and curriculum. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Founder, Greg Kersten described the new "Invitation to Innovation" program as a response to the exploding field of pyramid-type certifications with seemingly endless obligations and requirements that new members pay older members for additional workshops and mentoring.

The State of Equine-Assisted Programming
Currently, therapists and equine specialists at residential programs are gaining professional experience daily that far surpasses the experience and qualifications of many trainers who travel the country selling front-line staff and program executives on a lifetime of commitments, renewals, and price tags. "Enough is enough," insists Kersten who attests that when certifying associations run out of new material to teach, they often implement additional fees and regulations - to maintain income - at the expense of the members. "There is a big difference between promoting quality and forcing people to jump through costly hoops. It makes good business sense for treatment programs to establish their own standards and laurels to rest upon, rather than advertise themselves as disciples of another entity" explains Kersten. "Arbitrary standards and regulations do not serve programs that are unique unto themselves and in the best position to evaluate and meet their clients' needs."

The Innovation
"Invitation to Innovation" (known informally as "I-2-I") puts the authority back into the hands of the practicing experts and their programs. I-2-I is an intensive three-day program that trains equine-assisted practitioners within an equine-assisted program, so that they, in turn, may train and certify the agency's staff and others in the community in their own brand of equine-assisted work The curriculum is customized to each program's philosophy, history, and clientele. Specific equine-assisted activities are created to address the needs of each individual program's client population. I-2-I allows programs the freedom to create the most meaningful curriculum with their own in-house experts. I-2-I endows a program with lasting benefits without lasting cost because programs keep their experts and answer to themselves. This "Pay it Forward" approach allows programs to share their own brand of equine-assisted work, make a name for their own equine-assisted innovation, and effectively separate themselves from the proverbial herd or residential ranch programs.

Programs Enhance Their Reputations by Adding to Their Expertise
The I-2-I program begins this month in Wheatfield, Indiana at Christian Haven. Christian Haven has been offering equine-assisted programming for years. Their veteran staff members have the experience, knowledge, and dedication to create the most effective equine-assisted program for Christian Haven clients. If you are interested in modeling your equine-assisted program on the Christian Haven model, feel free to contact Duane VanderWoude at 219-956-3867. If you are interested in accepting your own Invitation to Innovation, contact Greg Kersten at the O.K. Corral at 866-391-OKOK.

The O.K. Corral Series offers educational certification seminars in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and equine-assisted learning.

This is a great story and needed exposure to the truth... Greg has again put his finger on the mark... Yes, too many organizations squeeze money from their respective constituency in exchange for "competency" or "quality control" certifications.... but, few will call the respective certifying agents on the money question. Although, there is much to be said for refreshers and update trainings.... there is also much to be said for customizing your own program and using your own mind to meet the unique challenges and circumstances that has little to do with following prescribed methods required by a rigid set of obsolete, irrelevant, or archaic set of guidelines. And, yes, an unmentioned group seems to be a prime suspect in the "...charge the members to keep the cash flowing..." strategy. .. . thanks for the article...