Articles

(as appeared in the December 5th online issue of Equine Wellness Magazine
https://equinewellnessmagazine.com/finding-a-voice/)

This is the story of Anna, a little girl with selective mutism who found strength and support within the herd. 

As a family wellness practitioner, I work with children, families and individuals to provide soulful interventions rooted in nature. My goal is to assist with personal growth and help people face the stresses and challenges that life may bring.

A while ago, I had the privilege of working with a unique little girl named Anna. She had a pleasant but quiet personality. In fact, she was extremely shy and had developed a pattern of selective mutism at school. Anna had an older sibling with special needs and significant behavioural issues that often disrupted life for everyone at home. Upon further investigation, it was suspected that Anna’s selective mutism was likely related to difficulty coping with her stressful circumstances at home.

The anticipatory anxiety of being stuck in these situations – and other highly sensory-stimulating environments – compromised Anna’s ability to navigate social situations. Over time, it had led her to use the protective mechanism of staying quiet. Although her parents were doing everything right, they lived with the guilt of not being able to “fix” everything – they couldn’t change the fact that their family life was complicated. Anna inherently knew this and unconsciously tried to ease the chronically strenuous load from her parents by playing the role of the “easy” child and becoming almost invisible.

As a student in the first grade, Anna was successful academically. But it became apparent that she needed support to help her make sense of her emotions and develop strategies to thrive socially. Her parents had tried traditional therapy, but nothing seemed effective. That’s when they reached out to me.

When I first met Anna, I could tell she possessed a certain maturity and emotional intelligence beyond her years. I had observed this in children with selective mutism before – to me, this presented as an admirable inner strength.  At our first meeting, she was able to speak with me immediately, but it became obvious that she had adopted the role of the “pleaser”. While she answered questions politely, she did not share beyond what was being directly asked of her. This was a concern, as I suspected it reflected her tendency to cope by bottling up her feelings.

I determined that we would have to address core issues at the family systems level, develop support strategies for her teachers and offer one on one sessions in order to help Anna find her own unique voice. To begin breaking down the thick walls she had built around her sensitive heart, it was going to require some serious horsepower. So what did I do? I brought in the horses.

When we first entered the pasture, Anna’s eyes gleamed with pure excitement and awe. She had been around horses before but had never been invited to simply walk freely among a herd. This particular domestic herd was a mix of geldings and mares – some who were pregnant. It did not surprise me one bit that the horses were immediately drawn to her beautiful energy. What happened next was truly magical.

The pregnant mares surrounded this little girl in a circle of motherly protection and comfort. The rest of the herd seemed to understand the intent of the pregnant mares and kept a respectful distance, acknowledging that this little girl had become their charge. The leader of the pregnant mares moved toward Anna, positioning herself directly in front of her. She then proceeded to breathe rhythmically over her head. Anna understood that she needed to remain still.

Instinctively, both girl and horse closed their eyes and seemed to follow a synchronized breathing pattern, which took on a peaceful meditative quality. The other mares appeared to simply hold the space and remained perfectly still for at least 20 minutes. You could practically feel the energy slowly chipping away at the walls surrounding the little girl’s heart.

According to Anna’s parents, she slept in the car all the way home. The emotional effects of Anna’s initial visit with the horses proved to be the groundbreaking beginning of her journey toward wellness. In the following months, Anna was enthusiastic. She begged her parents to allow her to continue her visits with the horses. As our sessions progressed, we were able to benefit from the profoundly grounding and centering experience with the horses and begin to tackle the core underlying issues surrounding her selective mutism.

These experiences began to serve as a type of emotional warm-up for Anna – a catalyst for her to engage in self-reflection and free expression. After each session with the horses, we would follow-up with creative mediums (mostly art) to visually reflect a new-found awareness around relevant themes such as confidence, worthiness, safety, roles and relationships. We made a point of being outdoors as much as possible for this, in the hope of instilling a sense of natural discovery and an awareness of being part of something much larger than ourselves (and our problems). Her parents commented on how Anna looked forward to her sessions, which had not been the case with previous interventions they had tried.

In scientific literature, it is well documented that we are all somewhat “nature-deficient” – the way we are forced to adopt certain lifestyles due to jobs or other circumstances removes us from the natural world. We now know, however, that spending meaningful time in nature can alleviate stress, and anxiety, as well as improve our moods and overall sense of well-being. But in order for your experiences with nature to be truly effective, they must reach you on a soul level. In fact, research suggests that when any health issue is addressed by incorporating the person’s sense of spirituality or soulful beliefs, they are more successful at making lasting changes.

It was only after a carefully orchestrated process that we were able to lay a foundation for introducing coping strategies into Anna’s life. Progress did not happen overnight and was not restricted to my intervention, but her parents soon began to observe their daughter applying these coping strategies in her life with success. By mid-year, she was no longer mute at school.

While working with this family, it was not possible to change difficult life circumstances. But with the help of her family, friends, and teachers, I managed to teach Anna the importance of tending to her own wellness in a way that was pleasant, meaningful, and easy to apply. In this case, I believe we have the horses to thank for that.

For more information visit, www.mariannedisipio.com

What can horses do for couples trying to conceive or already pregnant couples? Surprisingly enough, quite a lot!

Horses are gaining recognition in the world of therapy as being effective facilitators for healthful change. We have witnessed what they can do for war veterans, inmates, youth at risk, and children with disabilities. Now it is also possible for couples to benefit from the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects of being in the presence of horses when it comes to their fertility and pregnancy through a method called Equinistic Healing. 

Equinistic Healing is an energy-based wellness technique that relies on the delivery of positive vibrations and biofeedback to the client through direct or indirect contact with horses. Equinistic Healing encourages mindfulness and develops insight for personal growth. Sessions can be done individually or together as a couple and can be structured to meet the needs and current challenges of the clients through the help of your Facilitator.

Physical Benefits

Within our brain lies a structure called the amygdala. This structure is responsible for linking a sensory experience to an emotional memory. Once a positive memory is stored through the amygdala, the nervous system has an automatic calming response. When a couple experiences a pleasant and successful interaction with a horse during an Equinistic Healing session, the hope is that the brain will remember that, and the next time the couple engages in that experience, they will automatically go to that happy place in a faster amount of time. At some point, it could even be possible that the simple smell of a horse might trigger those feelings. It is suggested in many studies that decreased stress has a positive influence on fertility and growing fetuses.

Emotional Benefits

Nothing is more efficient than a horse to mirror what one feels. Being hyper-vigilant prey animals, horses rely on reading subtle body language and states of awareness for survival. Even if a couple is not consciously aware of being under stress, horses will respond directly to what they perceive at that exact moment. In such a situation, they might think there is reason to be on high alert and therefore become agitated and fearful. This feedback is very helpful for the couple, as it demands an immediate emotional adjustment on their part to put the horse at ease. When the couple adjusts to the horse, and the horse then adjusts to the couple, this is referred to as co-regulation.  Co-regulation aims to attain a balanced and attentive state of awareness together. 

Equinisitc Healing sessions can offer couples an opportunity to practice co-regulation. It is a helpful tool for remaining connected, open, and supportive throughout the ups and downs of conceiving and pregnancy. 

Spiritual Benefits

Horses were domesticated around 13 000 BC. Out of necessity, humans and horses developed a mutually beneficial relationship for survival. As a result, they developed an effective communication system. Some sages and scientists speculate that humans and horses have the inherent ability to communicate with each other. They believe that the DNA of both species contains this ancient knowledge. 

Some native cultures believe that horses live between earthly and spirit worlds, and can send important messages to us. It is also thought that horses can relay telepathic messages to humans with whom they share an intimate relationship. They believe that these messages are transmitted through intuition and dreams. Many animal communicators claim that horses and humans can communicate through pictures in their minds.

In Equinistic Healing, couples are encouraged to be open to these unconventional ideas in order to add to the richness of their experience with the horse. Regardless of one’s belief system, at the very least, sessions can reinforce the need for couples to trust their instincts.

Scientists recognize that on a psychological level, horses fulfill an innate human need to take risks. They have a unique combination of being unpredictable, intimidating but also protective, and loyal. Interacting with horses requires letting go of control and facing whatever happens. Couples experiencing the pressure to conceive or experiencing an atypical pregnancy can appreciate wanting to feel strong when facing unknown outcomes. During Equinisitc Healing, some couples report feeling a sense of self-mastery over anxious thoughts.

“ Spending relaxing time with the horses is something we both enjoy. We find it neat how the horses teach us things about ourselves. We always leave the barn feeling great and look forward to our next visit.” Joey and Anna Anicete

References:

Burgeon, Hannah Louise. (2014). Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning. London: Palgrave MacMillan 

Fine,Aubrey H. (2015). Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy: Foundations and Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions. San Diego: Academic Press

Kohanov, Linda. (2013). The Power of the Herd: A Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation. Novato: New World Library

Mandrell, Patti. (2014). Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Overview. EAGALA-advanced

Mitten-Ryan, Liz. (2007). One with the Herd. Buena Vista: Publishing Works 

What if you changed the pace for a while and stepped out of your usual routine? You might just start to see and feel magical things happening for both your horse’s mental health and your own! 

Spending time with horses offers numerous wellness benefits. And the good news is, you don’t have to be skilled in an equestrian discipline or participate in an equine-assisted program to feel the wonderful effects! In fact, if you’re a horse owner, not only can you take advantage of what your horse can do for you, but you can also help improve your horse’s mental health at the same time. Two happy hearts make for two happy minds – plus, it’s easier than you think!

In order for both humans and horses to mutually benefit from what each party has to offer, it is ideal to have a well-established relationship. But building a truly authentic connection founded in equality, respect, and trust takes time and requires a specific focus. By the very nature of our busy lives, our time at the barn is often rushed. We tend to favor performance-based activities versus those that are rooted in relationship building.  

Try these simple, mutually beneficial activities, and you’ll begin to notice improved self-confidence, a greater ability to self-regulate, and an ability to relieve stress as a team.  

1) Improve self-confidence

Activity: Go for a bareback ride outside. Use a gentle bit, a bitless bridle, or a simple halter with reigns. Try to keep your ride to 15 minutes or less. 

Why this works for you: This activity helps build a sense of influence and control over one’s future and arising challenges, which is an important mental health protective factor.

All horses are unpredictable to a certain degree, and all riders accept this truth. It takes a bit more courage to ride bareback and with less bit of control, as the rider is left without the security and increased sense of stability that comes with a saddle and stir-ups. 

Life is unpredictable as well. Some of us are better than others at accepting this and rolling with the punches. Riding bareback gives us direct practice in gathering our courage, taking risks, and learning to feel safe when outcomes are unknown. This has a great empowering impact on our day-to-day life and overall wellness. 

Why this works for your horse: This activity works for your horse on many levels. 

Being in close contact with your horse provides him with direct and simple proprioceptive feedback without any potential discomfort caused by a saddle. Some studies have suggested that horses can begin to experience some symptoms of discomfort, regardless of saddle fit, within 15 minutes. 

Unlike other nervous system senses (which go to a processing center of the brain to be analyzed), proprioceptive pathways (which are stimulated through deep pressure to the joints) go directly to the cortex and cause a calming and organizing effect. If you keep your walk short, proprioceptive input can be calming for a horse that has a relationship with you. Having a calming effect on a horse increases his confidence in your presence. 

The same concept applies to the gentle use of reigns. 

Editor’s note: Bareback riding is not ideal for inexperienced riders or untrained horses. Be sure you trust your own abilities and those of your equine companion before attempting this activity.

2) Learn to self-regulate

Activity: Let your horse lead you on a ride (instead of the other way around)! Take your horse on the grounds of your boarding facility or your home property. While respecting the safety principles of riding and intervening when necessary, let your horse explore as she would alone. The difference is that instead of being the person giving directions for your horse to follow, you are like a little bird perched on your horse’s back, along for the ride!

Why this works for you: This activity helps increase your awareness around the bio-feedback symptoms of your nervous system so you can learn to control your stress responses as soon as you recognize them emerging. 

Besides being fun, this activity teaches you to micro-manage your most subtle reactions to your horse’s unpredictable decisions. At times, your ride might feel peaceful or exciting, and at other times, a little uncertain or nerve-wracking. As most equestrians know, since horses are prey animals, they are experts at picking up on all our emotional states and will mirror them right back at us.  

That said, this activity also forces you to be consciously aware of every feeling you experience to keep yourself in check so your horse can feel safe. This is referred to as self-regulation. Nothing teaches this essential coping strategy as well as a horse!

Why this works for your horse: Prey animals instinctually operate in a state of fight or flight when they pick up on stress or a perceived threat. By learning to control your own responses to mood changes and stress, you allow your horse to process what is happening on a conscious level, eliminating the need for the nervous system to kick into a protective mode of fight or flight.

3) Relieve Stress

Activity: Spend shared leisure time with your horse without any expectations. Enjoy reading by your horse’s side or having your tea/coffee in his presence. You can even try inviting him to be around a campfire or keep you company during gardening tasks. 

Why this works for you: Simply being in the presence of horses has been shown to have a calming and reassuring effect on humans and is a great activity to add as a resource for coping. It’s also a great way to develop hardiness, which is a protective factor relating to how people process and cope with stressful events. 

Breaks are healthy and necessary for any living soul’s well-being. Giving ourselves permission to un-schedule our lives during stressful times is essential to relieving the pressure to perform and achieve when the focus should be tending to our mental health needs.

Why this works for your horse: Making an effort to show your horse that your love and acceptance is not dependent on the quality of performance or obedience is essential for reaching new levels of friendship. When your horse experiences a state of relaxation in your presence, this creates a positive emotional memory and is stored in the amygdala of your horse’s brain. Your horse is then more apt to associate you with feelings of comfort on a neurophysiological level.    

Spending quality time with your horse, free from restraint or expectation, can work wonders for your relationship with each other – and your relationship with yourself. Make these activities a priority, and you will both reap the benefits.