Say hello to Buddy, my new therapist.

So, I’ve begun something I’ve always been interested in looking into called, “Equine Therapy.”  I was driving home and happened to see a banner on a horse fence that caught my eye. I almost got into an accident taking a photo of it on my iPhone.

Equine-Assisted Therapy has been used to treat trauma and was popularized especially for veterans who were experiencing PTSD coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. Considering I love horses (see proof), I have been curious about this since I first read about it. It’s strange that after all these years, I haven’t really dealt directly with my past trauma in various counseling sessions. I typically go to counseling to deal with a current crisis. I’m not in crisis right now, and haven’t been in a while, so this may be the best time to exorcise some old ghosts.

The stable is less than a mile from my house, Crossroads Corral.  I didn’t know what to expect when I showed up, but my first impression was positive. The farm is very peaceful and the two counselors (one therapist, one equine-assistance expert) were compassionate, knowledgable, and kind. I was surprised how much I divulged in just my first session with two strangers.  I’ll report back after I’ve attended a number of sessions to share how it’s progressing.

So far, I love the whole idea of it and am looking forward to going again.