About
Fresh Steps
We started Fresh Steps due to the overwhelming requests for EAP sessions
by individuals, group homes, and residential treatment centers, who
were interested in participating in this new type of therapy. The therapy
itself is based on existing treatments, but uses horses to create a
new type of experience. Some people like to compare EAP to ropes courses,
or an outward bound model, however EAP works without the ropes and blindfolds,
rather, with beautiful, powerful animals - the horses. This is an experiential
model with a solution focused, brief therapy approach.
EAGALA
Level II Certified
Our treatment team is headed up by Darcie Kelly, MBA, MSW, EAGALA Level
II, who is our therapist. We are also proud to have her husband, Shawn
Kelly, BS, as our Equine Specialist. Together they make up the treatment
team that is ready to serve your treatment needs.
What
exactly is EAP?
History
and Definition of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is the professional, therapeutic
field in which therapists and horse professionals work together to use
horses as a tool for emotional growth and learning. EAP itself is considered
a brief therapy, and is experiential in nature.
The metaphors in EAP transfer to the issues of your everyday life. You
will have a chance to learn about your behavior, body language, communication,
and how you fit into your peer group, because horses are honest, respond
to body language, and are social.
EAGALA
(Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) is an association
developed to support EAP professionals. EAGALA has its own Code
of Ethics. They offer training and certification, as well as other
seminars and training related to the field. They believe that the client
comes first, and that EAP should use a solution-oriented approach. Darcie
Kelly, MSW, MBA, is Level II certified and is currently working on her
Level III certification, the highest designation offered by EAGALA.
EAGALA
also believes that:
1. “People do not change unless they are uncomfortable
2. People do not grow unless they are challenged
3. The most effective change occurs when people discover their own
solutions through experiential learning”
Excerpt
from
the EAGALA Level I Un-Training Manual, 2004
EAGALA also stresses the significant difference between horsemanship
and EAP. Clearly stated, “The difference between horsemanship
and EAP is: Horsemanship is be like me, EAP is be yourself.” It
is important for you to have the opportunity to be yourself, and have
an opportunity to grow in a manner consistent with your history, environment
and personality.
EAGALA
also emphasizes the importance of working as a team, including both
a licensed therapist and an equine professional in every session, whether
group or individual. All work is done on the ground; riding horses is
niether essential nor reccomended in most of the work in EAP. The horses
are there to read non-verbal communication, confront people, act as
a metaphor for relationships, and are an integral part of all activities.
Very powerful results come from the most basic exercises with the horses.
There
are many modalities of therapy that can be used in EAP, but some of
those, which are at the foundation of EAP, are Gestalt, Reality, Solution-Oriented
Brief therapy, and Rational Emotive therapies. Safety is taught as the
treatment progresses, rather than as a lecture or in the form of frightening
stories or what ‘not’ to do.
