| Equine Involvement Therapy Facility brings a New | | | | adolescents and children, which encourages |
| and Unique Approach to solving the ever-growing | | | | self-acceptance, a strong sense of pride in the tasks |
| incidence of stress, depression and anxiety-related | | | | that are being completed and nurtures a feeling of |
| problems. | | | | real achievement, fulfilment and satisfaction; |
| Ever known you need help, but been reluctant to | | | | sometimes for the first time ever, offering release |
| seek it? Counseling with the involvement of horses | | | | from some deeply rooted emotions. Anger, |
| provides the answer. A therapy that is powerful, | | | | aggression, low self-esteem and anxiety particularly, |
| gentle, natural, holistic and outstandingly effective. | | | | can be replaced by feelings of self-assurance, |
| Animals are far easier to relate to than people, as | | | | self-worth and self-respect. |
| they are non-judgmental, accepting and forgiving. | | | | A young man with a drink problem and severe |
| Absolutely no previous knowledge of horses is | | | | depression found that by deeply connecting with the |
| required and a fear of them could be an advantage. | | | | horses, he was able to re-connect with who he really |
| Employing the natural perception, insight, intuition and | | | | was and find a permanent release from his despair. |
| instincts of the horse and combining them with very | | | | He said, 'I found that by focusing my thoughts, |
| specialized counselling, and where appropriate | | | | watching and learning from the horses' attitude to |
| hypnotherapy, opens the mind to the true nature of | | | | living in the moment, as well as broadening my own |
| our problems, connects us with the person we want | | | | very limited outlook on life, I could begin to see that |
| to be and offers a solution. Horses can read us like | | | | I had narrowed my vision of life and the way I |
| an open book and show us how to re-write the | | | | perceived everything down to the size of a pin head. |
| pages. | | | | I could not see the wood for the trees, but now I |
| The Equine Therapy Involvement facility run by Jo | | | | can see a way out, as everything is so much clearer. |
| Corfield, has produced some extraordinary results, as | | | | Giving up the drink is hard but it is possible.' |
| experienced by a man in his 40s who was suffering | | | | Horses are extremely, intelligent, intuitive, sensitive, |
| from stress and depression after being made | | | | prey animals, which survive on the hyper-vigilance of |
| redundant and losing his house and wife. He said, | | | | the herd; they rely on the participation of every |
| 'Working through my problems with Jo and the | | | | member to protect the safety of the herd, from the |
| horses did not take my problems away but it did | | | | potential threat of predators. Horses see and react |
| make me see everything from a very different | | | | to the conscious and unconscious changes, |
| perspective, I now know this is a new beginning not | | | | incongruities, conflicts and emotions that we are |
| the end and am looking forward to what the future | | | | constantly experiencing; they do not interpret |
| has to offer. The horses helped me see that the | | | | emotion as we do, looking at it instead, as a vital |
| way I think affects both my actions and experiences | | | | message upon which to act. With the help of the |
| of life.' | | | | counselor, Jo Corfield, the information gleaned from |
| The horses appear to read our thoughts, by picking | | | | the horses' reaction and behaviour is used as |
| up on the imperceptible changes to our physiology, | | | | essential material, to help the client become aware of |
| caused by minute chemical responses in the brain and | | | | where their problems lie and what needs to be done |
| the constant variations in the unseen energy fields | | | | to overcome them. |
| that surround us. The horses are so perceptive to | | | | Jo Corfield founded Hopethruhorses Equine |
| these changes, they can sense the tiny reactions | | | | Involvement Therapies, after qualifying as a |
| made by the unconscious thoughts behind our | | | | counselor and hypnotherapist, she studied equine and |
| conscious thoughts; it is these thoughts that often | | | | human psychology and looked extensively at the |
| create the problems that need to be addressed. | | | | enormous benefits to be gained by human and |
| A young woman in her 30s suffering from very low | | | | equine interaction. Her therapy was developed from |
| self-esteem learned, that by mastering her thoughts | | | | years of research and working with and learning from |
| and altering the energy they created, she could | | | | her very special black mare, Bronwen. She said, 'I |
| cause miraculous changes to the way the | | | | learned how to communicate, interact and connect |
| 15-hand gelding, Comet, responded to her, and in so | | | | effectively with the horses, from a horse whisperer, |
| doing realized she could apply the same technique at | | | | he taught me how to look deep within myself, for |
| work with her abusive boss. | | | | the answers to the problems my horse was having, |
| A disruptive adolescent changed her attitude | | | | in the process I completely overcame the |
| dramatically when she saw her behaviour reflected | | | | self-destructive and negative feelings that caused me |
| back to her, by Jo's chestnut pony, Gus. The pony | | | | to suffer from Anorexia and Bulimia for many years. |
| helped her realize how destructive her behaviour had | | | | It was from my own experiences that Equine |
| been. She said, 'I felt really intimidated by the pony's | | | | Involvement Therapy came alive.' |
| attitude towards me and could finally see that that | | | | The healing power of horses has been well |
| was the affect I was having on other people. This | | | | documented; these beautiful, peace-loving creatures, |
| experience has made me far more aware of who I | | | | offer a unique solution to problems relating to stress, |
| am. I don't want be this way anymore. The pony's | | | | anxiety or depression. As the pressures of everyday |
| attitude towards me changed completely when I was | | | | life increase, there is an answer in Equine |
| thinking in a more respectful and considerate way | | | | Involvement Therapy that takes us back to the |
| and it made me feel good about myself.' | | | | quiet realities of communing with animals as nature |
| The horses offer a perfect environment for adults, | | | | intended. |