Equine Therapy and Long Term Recovery

For many recovering individuals, they might think that all the hard parts are over. They have detoxed, gotten sober, gone through hundreds of therapeutic exercises and more. However, maintaining recovery is often the most difficult part of getting sober, as it takes daily and continual efforts to do so. As a result, many individuals begin participating in different activities designed to help them stay sober even when they are tempted to use. One of the most beneficial activities to engage in to establish long-term recovery can be equine therapy.

How Equine Therapy Promotes Long Term Recovery

Just because an individual has gotten sober does not mean that he or she will stay sober. Through the many exercises that equine therapy can offer such as grooming, haltering, leading and participating in groundwork exercises, individuals looking to stay sober for the rest of their lives can utilize this form of experiential therapy to promote the following:

• Integration of skills – Once an individual has gotten sober, it is crucial that he or she begin integrating skills into their lives that will encourage their sobriety. This can include positive communication, active listening skills and outlets for stress. Each one of these skills can be developed through equine therapy, as horses are excellent at leading by example in terms of non-verbal communication, and equine therapists can help work through issues with an individual that would otherwise fester.
• Learning to have sober fun – For many individuals reshaping their lives after addiction, it can seem impossible to have fun without being under the influence. As a result, they might begin to think that their lives will be boring, however equine therapy can help them develop strong self-esteem that will lead them to believe otherwise. Also, staying active in the company of horses is often highly rewarding and fun, providing individuals with a new hobby to participate in while sober.
• Relapse prevention – One of the biggest downfalls for an individual who is looking to stay sober is that he or she might not know exactly what to do to stay sober. So, by engaging in exercises with a horse, an equine therapist can begin to help the individual uncover what his or her triggers are and work to adjust them so they don’t cause relapse. Also, an equine therapist can help provide options for individuals when they do get triggered that can help them stop themselves from using.

Equine therapy can provide a recovering user with numerous skills to help them stay sober, including the integration of skills, learning how to have fun while sober and relapse prevention techniques. In addition to these many benefits, equine therapy sessions can also serve as a place where recovering users can come to address new and unique issues that they might be facing in their recovery so they can work with their equine therapist to continue their sobriety long-term.

Contact Herd By A Horse today to schedule your next session to assist you in your long term recovery goals.