Horses Helping Veterans, Active Military and Military Families

Photo: Richard Kinsey for Refuge Services

To acknowledge the significance of Veterans Day, I want to share with you some examples of how horses have been helping our veterans, active military and military families. 

If you or someone you care about would like to learn more about Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) services available in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area, please visit my website or Equine Assited Therapy, Inc.

EAGALA Certified Mental Health and Equine professionals, such as myself, receive training to work with our heroes and their families to treat emotional, mental and behavioral issues ranging from PTSD, TBI, depression and addiction to combat stress, reintegration, grief and family trauma.

According to a pilot program conducted by Refuge Services, an EAGALA Military Services Program in Texas, after only six sessions, veterans and their spouses reported up to 60% improvement in severity of marital problems including physical and verbal abuse, financial disputes, parenting choices, forgiveness and time together.  Couples also reported up to 50% improvement in conflict resolution, emotional closeness, trust, sex, anger and respect."For someone in the military like me, it is hard to swallow my pride and ask for help.  This was a safe environment to open up in. Sometimes the horses talked for me and helped show me the path to help my marriage," stated an officer in the study.

Photo: Reins of H.O.P.E

 

The pictures above really do speak a thousand words.  But if you are like me, seeing is believing.  This video is a great example of the benefits of Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy.   This program, based in New York, is similar to our program in St. Louis.  

Video: Veterans benefit from EAP at Windhorse Farm 

 

 

Photo: Jennifer Kozel

 

Some quotes from the field:

"The EAGALA Model uses the horse to gain insight into behaviors and perceptions. The horse's reactions provide unbiased and real time feedback, breaking through the barriers that many military members experience in conversations with others who cannot begin to understand what we feel because we made it back. EAP provides a strategy for dealing with trauma in a way that makes sense to military service members," stated Jimmy L. Walters, COL, USA (Ret).

 

“Horses are the best therapists for many veterans, because most vets don’t want talk therapy,” says Julie Giove Sardonia, MA, LMFT, a therapist in California. “Healing happens in nature, especially for the military.    A soldier’s relationship with a horse can provide emotional insights and self-understanding,” she concluded.

 

“We have conducted a number of EAGALA EAP sessions with our veterans focusing on coping resources, resilience and anger management. Across the board, veteran participants have said never have they found a group or individual session so useful and life-changing, and that they have found hope. After these workshops, many reflect frequently on the experience and skills learned then take them into their daily lives,” said Susan T. Lisi, AFGE Local 3306 Chief Steward, VA Medical Center in Canandaigua, New York.

 

"I have been to so many therapists and nothing worked. The horses put it right in your face - it's intense, but it works for me," said a female soldier who served 7 years and was diagnosed with PTSD.

 

As a 23 year active duty member of Special Forces reported, “I had my missions and I got them done...that's why I was needed and what counted... I don't know why these horses understand what I am feeling but they do - and they still accept me. It has made it possible for me to not just be a tool in the military, but to get re-connected with my family and myself.”

 

 

Additional articles and resources:

12 October 2012: Veterans benefit from horse therapy at Windhorse Farm by Kevin Doran, Rochesterhomepage.net, on EAGALA Advanced Certified Dr. Joseph Lancia's program in New York (story and video)

May 4, 2012: Local clubs help fund equine therapy, Kaiseslautern American, Vol. 36 #18, page 23, Germany

Feb. 27, 2012: Work with horses helps veterans with PTSD by Doug Schmidt, The Windsor Star, plus see PHOTOS from this article and VIDEO embedded in this article: Traumatized veterans find help elusive

Fall 2011: Navy Medicine News "Alternative Therapy" by Tami Begasse, pp. 22-23

Sep. 7, 2011:  EAGALA Military Services media release

Aug. 31, 2011: NH Jax Pilots Horse-Assisted Therapy by Jacob Sippel, Military/Mayport Mirror

Dec. 2, 2010: Horses help heroes in healing by Kris Gonzalez and Mike A. Glasch, Fort Jackson Leader, p. 3

Dec. 1, 2010: Horses Helping Heroes: Psychotherapists use equine therapy for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder by Nadia Macias, The Horn

Oct. 28, 2010: When a horse is more than a horse by Shane Cohn, Ventura County Reporter

Jan. 13, 2009: Back from war, veterans taming their wild horses by Mark Hare, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Spring 2008: Ascent from hell: EAP in the treatment of war veterans by Dr. Joseph Lancia, EAGALA In Practice magazine