The Power of Relationship

Training for Health with Shared Hope for Healing

There is a moment for every horse person, perhaps so far back into youth that it can't be distinctly remembered, a moment when a relationship with a horse touches us with the magic of wholeness, a sense that we are safe, that we are trusted, that we are trustworthy, and that we are loved. But not everyone grows up around horses, and even those who do sometimes have other experiences in their lives that take away this sensation of safety and connection. The premise behind Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Personal Development (EAPD) is that broken relationships can be restored, and that horses are one way to recreate those damaged bonds.

Not Just a Theory
As a psychotherapist, Linda Shannon of Rickreall, Oregon, has seen her share of trauma survivors. She began incorporating horses into her practice in 1999, but with a background in the social sciences, she felt strongly not only about assisting her clients, but also documenting her methods and providing scientific evidence of the efficacy of EAP and EAPD.

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