Our four-legged partners at Promise Ranch are horses, goats, rabbits and guinea pigs! Professionally-facilitated animal-assisted interactions encourage a unique human-animal bond and can create lasting social, emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual and psychological changes. Research shows the mental health benefits of animal-assisted therapy:
- The simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response.
- Humans interacting with animals have found that petting the animal promotes the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin- all hormones that can play a part in elevating moods.
- Lowers anxiety and helps people relax.
- Provides comfort.
- Reduces loneliness.
- Increases mental stimulation.
- Assists in recall of memories.
- Can provide an escape or happy distraction.
- Can act as catalysts in the therapy process.
- May help “break the ice.”
- May reduce the initial resistance that might accompany therapy.
Our largest therapy partners are horses! Some of the unique benefits of equine-assisted therapy are:
- Horses provide an emotional mirror with which to see ourselves and provide an honest reflection of how others might view and respond to us when we are experiencing different emotions.
- They help to create a hands-on and tangible learning experience when working on building relationships, communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, observation, and non-verbal skills.
- They can also assist us in practicing mindfulness, building confidence, self-esteem, and self-awareness.
- Due to their own natural survival instincts, horses can assist those recovering from trauma and/or PTSD to feel supported and understood.
An additional option at Promise Ranch is to have an Equine Specialist join the therapeutic session with the Licensed Therapist, client, and horse. An Equine Specialist is a certified professional trained to provide feedback on the horse’s behavior as it relates to the content of the session. If you are interested in this option, our Mental Health Therapists can discuss this possibility with you during your appointment.
To get started in our program, please fill out this form and we will contact you for an appointment to see if mental health therapy on the Ranch is a good fit for your child or teen.