On October 7-9, 2010 the Academy at Sisters' therapeutic boarding school is hosting one of the OK Corral's Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning seminars. This three day event covers the basics of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Equine Assisted Learning and is a great introduction to the use of horses for therapeutic assistance and team building.
Using horses to accompany other therapeutic techniques is gaining momentum as it introduces therapy and treatment to clients in a "…modality that has been less threatening than traditional talk therapy." (Greg Kersten, EAGALA Founder and Founder of OK Corral. "Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL)" www.okcorralseries.com).
The Academy at Sisters signed up to host one of Greg Kersten's seminars, as they have incorporated the OK Corral philosophy and exercises into their equine program with amazing results. The clients participating in the Academy at Sisters Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning program develop greater awareness of their surroundings and of themselves; they develop confidence, healthy social skills, assertiveness with setting boundaries and much more, which translates to all areas of their lives.
The Academy at Sisters uses the OK Corral's Equine Assisted Psychotherapy to assist with their clients' individual treatment plans, victim recovery, community awareness, as well as family work. Horses do not lie and they pick up on nonverbal cues that people are often unaware of or ignore. It is impossible to fool a horse, as horses know whether someone is truly confident or presenting a façade; and they respond directly to the information they are given. This helps provide mirrors for how an individual navigates his or her human communities and systems as they receive immediate and honest feedback from the horse(s).
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? This training is recommended for therapists, equine boarding facilities, therapeutic programs, counselors, businesses, etc. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy/Learning is great for all ages and can be used for not only therapeutic purposes but also team building within your company or organization. If you are interested in attending the seminar, go to http://www.okcorralseries.com to sign up and let Jennifer or Greg Kersten know that the Academy at Sisters directed you to the site.
The Academy at Sistersis a private therapeutic boarding school in Central Oregon and a program of J-Bar-J Youth Services, which has been working with at-risk adolescents for over 20 years.