Why Horses & Therapy?
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Equine Assisted Therapy, and Equine Facilitated Learning are provided by a licensed therapist with the assistance of horses. The utilization of horses and therapy provides a sense of immediacy that assists the client in improving their ability to function in their everyday lives through real-life, real-time interactions with the horse and therapist.
Equine Assisted Therapy options address many mental health concerns including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, domestic violence, trauma-related symptoms (difficulty sleeping, difficulty focusing, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, etc), eating disorders, substance abuse, and attachment issues.
About Karla
Karla Palmer, LPCC, CEIP-MH is a Certified Equine Interaction Professional through the Certification Board of Equine Interaction Professionals. The Certification Board for Equine Interaction Professionals (CBEIP) promotes independent certification for mental health professionals or educators who incorporate equines into their therapy or education/coaching practice. To learn more please visit CBEIP.org.
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Karla is a Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor in New Mexico. She obtained her Masters Degree in Counseling from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. Prior to studying counseling, Karla earned a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communications, Media, and Journalism, also from Lindenwood University. She first held a counseling license in Missouri before returning to her hometown of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Currently she is independently licensed in New Mexico and is the Clinical Supervisor at Los Alamos Family Council. She has also been riding and training with Katrin Silva of Santa Fe, NM in areas focused on the healthy development of the horse/human relationship.
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At this time, Equine Facilitated Services are NOT available through Los Alamos Family Council.
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What IS Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy?
- EFP provides a genuine interpersonal relationship between horse and participant. Horses provide immediate, non-judgmental feedback to the client about their relationship with others and how they approach the world around them.
-EFP provides mirroring between horses and individuals to work on embodiment, grounding and working through trauma through a somatic based approach.
-In EFP you learn the language of the herd (social intelligence). Clients begin to develop insight into where they have been miscommunicating, or misreading others. It also allows people to step into and develop leadership skills.
-EFP is practiced all over the world and has been acknowledged by industry leaders such as Bessel Van der Kolk, MD as being an effective methodology for treating those suffering from developmental trauma. Clinical evidence has also proven the healing benefits of EFP for those suffering from depression and anxiety, addiction, trauma, and loss.
-EFT studies show marked improvement in symptoms of ADD/ADHD, eating disorders, addiction and trauma.
-Studies continue to show how EFP promotes self-esteem and self-confidence while improving communication skills, impulse control and problem-solving skills.
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Why Choose Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy?
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy is a form of experiential psychotherapy involving the collaborative effort of a client and a horse with a licensed psychotherapist/credentialed equine professional. EFP differs greatly from traditional psychotherapy due to the impact of the horse's mirroring and the immediate clear and honest feedback. EFP partners a horse and human in activities which promote relational issues of trust, bonding, communication and boundaries. Mutually respectful activities such as leading, grooming, handling and lunging engage the partners in a healing relationship leading the client towards personal insight, empowerment and lasting change. Working together intimately with the horse allows individuals to begin to develop a greater capacity to ground, connect to intuition and heal trauma from a somatic based experience.
EFP is a preferred treatment modality for many people who love animals, have a trauma history, and who desire a more integrative approach than other types of psychotherapy. EFP is a natural way for people to find soothing and peace while partnered with a horse. The role of the practitioner is to create a space where you and your equine partner can engage in an environment that is filed with empathy, mirroring and the directness of the horse who is in incapable of lying. This offers immediate feedback that encourages authenticity and authentic connection. This crosses the barriers of the mask that many of us often wear in our everyday lives that can be exhausting and burdensome.
Have More Questions?
Please feel free to email Contact@StableMindedSolutions.com for any information you don't find in our Pricing or FAQ pages.