This blog post is part of a series exploring the value and benefits of spending time with horses and other animals, including within a therapeutic environment. Previous posts have introduced the series, provided a brief overview and understanding of the research, explored how the presence of animals can make it safe to seek help, what we have in common with horses and how this creates opportunities for us to learn from animals as relatable role models.
Today’s post explores another benefit of recognising all we share with horses and other animals:
… to engage the human animal bond within psychoeducation
What Do We Mean By Psychoeducation?
The term psychoeducation is generally used within counselling and healthcare to describe the process of sharing information with clients, their family members and the public in general regarding mental health diagnoses and concerns. This would include the impact of medications, the impact of mental health conditions upon behaviour and functioning, and information regarding strategies for managing all of the above. Research has indicated that a psychoeducation approach serves to destigmatise mental health concerns and to increase the likelihood of people engaging and succeeding in counselling and other approaches which provide help and support. More information is available here.
Extended Understanding
I like to extend the above description to include the process of sharing information with people about natural emotional, cognitive and behavioural functioning and processes, including where these can get stuck or otherwise become problematic, such as when we experience struggles in life and/ or feel overwhelmed. This serves to further destigmatise counselling and related services recognising that we all struggle at times and this does not mean that there is anything ‘wrong’ with us or with our need to seek out support.
At Healing Hooves our psychoeducation model is grounded in the attachment and developmental model and approach taught by Dr. Gordon Neufeld and the human animal bond research. We teach this theory throughout our equine and animal assisted training workshops, they guide and inform all of our therapeutic stories, and they frequently form a part of our counselling and support sessions with clients of all ages.
Approaching Psycheducation ‘One Step Removed’
A key aspect of our approach at Healing Hooves is recognising that
talking directly about something is not always the best way
“Some pain is just too painful to touch directly. Some words may not be said out loud. How can we help children heal from wounds that feel too vulnerable and overwhelming to even name?
It is normal, often necessary, and even healthy to build defenses to protect ourselves from overwhelming vulnerability, trauma and emotional pain, just as our bodies would grow a scab to protect a physical wound. These defenses can be what allow us to survive; they give us the ability to function within an otherwise intolerable world. However, in the longer term staying ‘stuck’ in these defenses will stand in the way of our healing. Attempts to challenge and remove these defenses head on usually result in us clinging to them with even greater desperation.
Fortunately there is another way; a way to bypass the walls we build up, and to gently touch the pain in a way that promotes healing rather than building stronger defenses. For our most vulnerable children, for the hurts that hurt too much, for sensitivities that are too much to bear, we can still find our way through, just one step removed.”
Excerpt from One Horse Step Removed
The same principal frequently applies to psychoeducation. Often talking directly about what may be happening for a client – emotionally, cognitively, socially or behaviourally – is not the most effective approach. This may be due to defenses and vulnerability as discussed above.
Or perhaps we simply see things more clearly when they are about someone or something other than ourselves.
Either way approaching psychoeducation ‘one stepped removed’ can often be more effective; and animals, because of all we share with them and the emotionally safety they can provide, provide us plenty of opportunities to do this.
Building Animals into Psychoeducation
An advantage of our shared biology is the option to talk with clients about how our brains – and sometimes our bodies – function and behave, in a way people may find both easier to understand and safer to acknowledge. We are also able to observe many of these processes experientially and ‘in action’ by watching and interacting with the animals. This provides us with endless opportunities to normalise, validate and put words to emotional processes and responses which a client may be struggling with on a variety of levels.
Some Examples
The following examples explore three key areas we frequently explore with clients using a psycheducation approach starting with the animals’ experiences – through either observation, experiential interactions or storytelling with and about the animals.
Integrative Functioning (the ability to experience two or more different thoughts or feelings at the same time) is a critical developmental process. When it works well, it cultivates many wonderful qualities including self control, perspective, true courage, patience and the ability to work towards a goal.
Conversely, when someone is ‘non integrative’ they are more likely to be impulsive, aggressive, impatient, and prone to pendulum reactions. While integrative ability is something that develops in the human brain over time (starting not before age 5 and continuing till past age 25) it is not inevitable, especially when a person has experienced trauma or separation from attachments. Thus, integration and the existence of ‘mixed feelings’ is something we regularly aim to support during a client session. Fortunately, the horses provide us with lots of opportunities to witness and normalise mixed feelings and to educate our clients about this important part of our brain.
For example, when we head out to the pasture and our horse takes a step in our direction then stops; this is an opportunity to explore whether part of that horse want to come spend time with us, but part of him is feeling sleepy, or wants to hang out with the herd today. It is a great opportunity to normalise the horse’s conflicting wishes.
Or when the horse notices something new in the arena this provides an opportunity to explore how the horse may be both curious and scared of the new object. We can make space for the horse to (safely) express both of these feelings and from there come to his decision about whether to approach or retreat.
And when one of our cats jumps onto a comfy spot on the couch that is already occupied we can speculate what the cat who claimed the spot first may do and why: defend ‘her’ spot on the couch, share, or flee.
In each case we can observe, put words to and normalise the animal experiencing multiple, and often conflicting, feelings or thoughts. From there, depending on the client, we may discuss how this also happens in people’s brains. Many of my clients have been relieved to hear that arguing with yourself is actually a sign of maturity, and that this process gets easier as you get older.
Alarm is a normal and healthy emotion in all mammals, including humans. It is designed to keep us safe and out of harm’s way. Yet many people misunderstand this and aim for an alarm free life, or they stuck in the process of alarm leading to high levels of anxiety, agitation and adrenaline. Again, we can see and talk about this by watching our animals:
“Skye, a 27 year old Arabian gelding and our herd leader, provides a great example of what alarm looks like in a non human mammal. When something unexpected happens, he notices immediately; his head comes up, his ears and eyes are alert. Skye stops whatever he was doing and assesses the situation. If he decides a real threat exists he runs, and his herd usually follows his lead. Skye’s body just produced adrenaline and cortisol, which he uses to move himself to safety. If instead he calls the alarm false, as is often the case, I will usually see him releasing that adrenaline and cortisol, often through licking and chewing, and he is able to return to whatever he was doing before. The emotion of alarm has been experienced, processed and released, and calm is now restored.”
From our article: Is No Fear a Good Thing?
If we are paying attention our animals consistently provide us with the opportunity to talk with clients about both what a healthy alarm process looks like in practice and what happens when things don’t work so well. First we observe it in the animals, then we explain it. Sometimes we can ask the clients to tell us what they think is happening for the horse. Either way it provides a non-threatening way to engage in psychoeducation. Again, if and when the client is ready, we can start to transfer these discussions to human brain processes and their own personal experiences.
Frustration is a core emotion experience by all mammals, including humans, which when not understood and made space for can lead to all sorts of problems including aggression directed towards others, self or possessions. Again, the animals often provide us with a way to see, understand and talk about frustration:
An almost daily scene at Healing Hooves is provided by our border collie, Maggie, who has huge instincts to chase anything that moves, including the horses. We could choose to see Maggie’s behaviour as inappropriate, dangerous and annoying. All of which can be true. We thus do everything we can to keep Maggie and the horses safe, by controlling the circumstances through fencing, supervision and training, and redirecting Maggie to chase something safer (her ball) when her instincts overpower her.
Sometimes Maggie is easy to distract or redirect; on the other days, when I need to thwart her horse chasing instincts, she pursues that ball with extra gusto and I am reassured that the frustration she is experiencing upon being told ‘no’ has found a safe target and outlet.
The added benefit? This ‘inappropriate behaviour’ presents us with great opportunity. Opportunity to talk about what is going on for Maggie with children – and adults – who may be experiencing similar emotions and also engaging in behaviours which have been deemed inappropriate, dangerous or annoying.
If you’d like to see this example explored in more depth, check out our article, Life Lessons from a Border Collie: E-motion Needs to Move
Every day I am grateful to my animals for all that they do to make my work possible and to provide both my clients and myself with all these opportunities to learn, heal and grow. In fact I distinctly remember a job interview from almost twenty years ago when I was presented with a number of client scenarios and asked “what would you do?” All my responses involved interacting with, observing or talking about an animal. Since the interview was for a job within a non animal context my answers did not lead to my being hired! And that is something else I am grateful for as it helped lead to the existence of Healing Hooves!
I look forward to learning more about horse behavior.
There are so many lessons we can learn from our animals. It is amazing to way the dynamics in a herd or silliness in our smaller pets.
Great article Sue! Such interesting information.
I can’t wait to hear more about how you do this with clients and your animal partners at Healing Hooves!!!
“Talking directly is not always the best way!” – This couldn’t be more true for me lately! I have a few challenging interactions in the last few weeks that have really reminded me sometimes, letting the horses talk can actually lead to more insightful conversation later! I interacted with someone who trains horses differently than me. Normally I would try to explain and talk. This time, I just was quiet and let the horse respond. Interestingly, this person was way more willing to hear my ideas afterwards! Quite a learning experience for me!
I have to say once again, this has been again more and more true about being quiet and letting the horse do the talking. Especially in my work with veterans, it is constantly amazing how often being silent will lead to greater insights from clients and those around me than trying to fill the silence.
I agree – this is so much about making space. WE may be quiet but we are doing important work in creating and maintaing a safe environment and in co regulating for client and horse!
Love seeing specific parallels between humans and horses!
Great article..I speak about the alarm factor especially with folks with trauma but also anxiety
One of my dogs, Heidi, is big on ‘integrative functioning’! If a sack is blowing accross the field, she’ll shy away, and then, boom, as you suggested in the last article, she shakes it off and moves on with her day. Cool to have it explained so clearly. Thank you!
It’s intriguing learning about how to reframe a behaviour and seek a deeper understanding rather than a reaction – say, irritation towards a dog that keeps chasing other animals or displaying needy behaviour. I’d like to learn more about this and how to respond – if at all.
HI Jessica – we build this in to foundation training so there is definitely more to come on this!
I found this quite interesting as well. Applying integrative functioning as a horse behaviour has really changed my perspective on my own horse. I’m going to pay closer attention the next time I think he is being indecisive.
Looking forward to this part. I love how the attention is on the animal to open up discussions on what’s healthy or unhealthy alarm process, and transitioning to human brain processes and their own experiences in a safe environment.
This article gave me a sense of how much there is to link between human thoughts and feelings/psychoeducation and animal behaviours. I also learned a new term “integrative behaviours”. I think it feels loosely related to dialetical tension in dialectic behavious therapy, described by Marsha Linehan, where there are natural tensions between two realities that can coexist although seemingly paradoxically opposite (my words) in therapy. for example, you could be doing your best AND can still do better, or the dialectical tension between change and acceptance strategies. Anyway, there are likely several ways to understand integrative behaviours and I look forward to learning more.
Love the learning that can come from observation!
me too Ellen! Some of our most powerful sessions at Healing Hooves are the ones where we simply get onto ‘horse time’, wait, and see what comes up!
Hi everyone!
I have found this article to be both captivating and encouraging. Much of the clinical work I already so appears reminiscent of this “one step removed/indirect psychoeducation”. Sometimes I doubt that some of my approaches and skills will map onto EFW and so I am left feeling more confident I have some skills and knowledge I can build upon.
An example of this is that I have little animal figurines placed on the corner of my desk. They resemble varying forest creatures including wolf, fox, stag, rabbit, owl. I use these in my “indirect psychoeducation” regarding how the nervous system organizes itself for survival responses (flight/flight/freeze/submit-feign death/attach). My clients at times find this odd and curious, however they take to it quite well. I can see how inviting in curiosity, exploration, and discussion through “indirect psychoeducation” with live animals could be all the more engaging!
As an aside- I kept going back to the use of the word “and” and relating this material to dialectics and the ability to hold two things at once. What a wonderful experience this has been making some connections in my present ways of knowing and ways I hope to learn more about!
Warmly,
Kim
Sounds wonderful Kim! Yes – my hope is always that folks in our trainings will take what they learn from me AND integrate this with what you already know and use. It’s usually in the bringing of them together, that you create something wonderful and unique, that truly fits for you. It often ends up being a longer process to do it this way but, in my experience, is so much better than a ‘cookie cutter’ approach which tells you exactly how to do everything
The description of the behaviors relative to non-integrative functioning and the point of how trauma and disruptions in attachment influence the developmental process of integrative functioning really stood out for me. This reading reminded me of the importance of having a solid understanding of our clients abilities and capacities, but also of my own professional abilities and to remain within my current scope of practice.
Great reflections Jacqueline! We are exploring integrative functioning in more depth in the Focus training
The example of Skye’s alarm response has stuck with me and I try to keep that in mind when I am either minimizing a situation or, more often, hanging onto the response even once the threat has past. For me being able to see the animals works through the response and let it go has been a great visual.
Yes – I find the horses can be amazing role models for us in this area!
Thank you for these examples Sue! This has been very helpful!
There have been a few times when I have tried to see if I could help a parent understand their child by pointing out that the parent is doing the same thing in terms of coping and being stuck. I have learned the hard way that no matter how gently I think I am doing it, or how helpful I am certain it will be if they could only see it, it has not gone well. I am still working on recognizing the opportunities when they come up with the animals to come from the side, and I know I will have another opportunity if I miss one in a session. Sometimes moments happen because I did not say anything or seize the opportunity!
I hear you Kellee! This is such an important learning – for all of us!
So much great information and how we can use horse behavior to have open minded conversations with clients. I love the quote “we simply see things more clearly when they are about someone or something other than ourselves” Animals give us the opportunity to learn in so many different ways!
So much insight here. I really appreciate the perspective that animals can make it safe to explore conflicting emotions, uncomfortable feelings, or to see more clearly. So true.
Cortisol release in animals, funny I have taken countless courses lately regarding this but never thought of what the release looks like with a horse. I can think of five instances my own horse does this now!
Skye releasing adrenaline and cortisol and returning to a calm regulated state or to the ventral vagal branch of the parasympathetic
nervous system, curious and engaged
I have been trained in taking a direct approach with clients. Often I have felt this was needed in session. So starting to think about taking an indirect approach is very different and I think will be quite challenging for me. I like the idea about seeing things more clearly when they are about something or someone other than us, and I have noticed this often when I have run group therapy. Often clients will learn so much about themselves even though the group is not focused on them. Afterwards they won’t need to do any talking as processing had occurred for them already being present in the group. I imagine this can be similar with equine therapy as well when clients are no longer focusing on themselves but still processing at the same time.
I hear you Anne – this was a gradual shift for me too! I still think there are times and clients where a direct approach is the best and preferred approach so I’m certainly not saying that EFW can’t or shouldn’t lead to direct application or learnings. But, I also trust that indirect can also work well and is, in many cases, both safer and more effective. Sometimes the transfers will happen (and ideally these will be initiated by the client); other times it will stay indirect.
I think it is very wise addressing “inappropriate behaviour”, ( Maggie example) to use a “negative” for a positive teaching moment.
To normalize this within a growth context.
This post highlights the significance of both Facilitators! The horses’ brilliance at simply being a horse, and that of the human Facilitator who is most effective when educated about emotions, development and seeing beneath the surface (for both themselves and their clients)! This is why I love that Pro-EFW Certification requires personal growth hours. The more we learn to love and accept ourselves, the better we can be with our clients and horses 🙂
Great! Yes, I draw on this in sessions regularly!
It is nice to see there is a definition for feeling or having mixed emotions called integrative function and that we can observe this with horses. I can’t wait to learn more about integrative functioning and how it works.
we really dive into this piece at Focus training!
I’m learning about integration from other sources, and it’s such a valuable concept. I love the parallels that we can draw from with animals and their ability to integrate. This work is so gentle and slow, paying attention, noticing, observing, making connections…and benefitting from the natural behaviors and instincts we are noticing. I can see that there are so many opportunities given by animals for therapeutic moments.
I’m really interested in learning more about integration, too, as others have commented. I am also really interested in how mammals process and release alarm and how this can help us understand how the process can go awry with people. A few years ago, I read the book, “Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma” by Peter Levine. The book goes into great detail about how animals release alarm to prevent long-term trauma, and draws connections for how this might be useful for helping people to do the same.
Hi Andrea
Integration and alarm are both areas we explore in more depth at the Focus training but we will for sure also refer to them in the foundation training too. For now though there is a video on our FB page I think you will like as it shows the horses processing change/ alarm. You can view it here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=386452396497116
Thanks, Sue!
The video was really interesting to watch. At first, the horses showed alarm by running, bucking, farting, and looking with their heads high. When they began to accept that they were safe, they made small attempts to go back to a valued activity (e.g. eating), but it took a few tries before they really decided it was okay to release the alarm. I noticed lots of blowing and chewing when they did release the alarm.
This has some cool parallels to things I’ve read. In the ACT literature, the recommended process is to first become aware of the state of alarm, to name the feeling, to investigate where it shows up in the body, to allow it to be there without trying to get rid of it or suppress it, and then to decide how best to respond to it. Once this processing is done, the recommendation is to return to a valued activity (much like the horses returning to eating).
I’m glad you liked it! I agree that it shows the horses naturally following a very normal process (and the whole thing only took about 3 minutes) and there’s so much for us to learn from this! Plus I love all the snorting between them at the end! Later on in the training we talk about calming signals and this was also a great example of these in practice!
Similar to other comments I really enjoyed the concept of integrative functioning and can now really see it in my horses behavior. This is a great lens for me to reflect on their reactions and times they may be torn. For example wanting to follow my lead but feeling fearful, or wanting to come play but also wanting to stand and enjoy their feed. I often work with people on acknowledging the complexity of emotions and that many truths can exist simultaneously – we can understand why someone hurt us and still be hurt by it or unable to forgive them despite this empathy. So helpful! I am excited to learn more!
yes! We build so much integrative work into sessions and observing/ interacting with the horses provides ongoing examples to discuss! In terms of training, we explore this specifically at focus training but it comes up every where else too!
This article made me think of my Sweet Pea. Sweet Pea is a sheep that gets frustrated by the itch caused by hay bits in her wool. When folks are not scratching her or scratching her in the “right’ way, she will hoof at or head butt the person. I talked about her behaviour with clients in regards to social skills and making friends but I never thought about frustration and the opportunity for psycho education on that topic and lived experiences for both animal and human.
This sounds like it could be a great opportunity to explore and discuss frustration with clients! I’d encourage you to link this to the section in the training on frustration when you get to it!
I love using animals in psychoeducation-I find people really listen and absorb more when you take humans out of the equation short term 🙂
I agree – I see it as being a factor of emotional safety. We’ve taken whatever it is we’re exploring to a safer, indirect, and often playful, realm where defenses can start to soften and emotions can start to be felt
I enjoyed the three examples. They really helped me put context to the one-step-removed application with some familiar concepts.
The indirect approach is both humbling and freeing. It’s humbling in that so much beautiful work is done organically without charging in with an outcome driven, strategic plan. Being quiet, establishing a safe context for relationship to emerge, and having care givers on standby, following the lead of the individuals as they share freely as a result of the horses and horse talk – that’s amazing stuff! It’s freeing in that it allows for trust in a process larger than the self, or the skillset of the individual practitioner. It allows our horses to truly be trusted partners in care.
I appreciate your way of seeing this Jason – thank you!
I love the idea that we can work around the edges, and uncover more about how a client is thinking, by observing the herd and their behaviour, and asking the client what it is they see. I’ve had a chance to do this with children who just happen to be in the area while I am taking care of the horses on the farm, and I have found it opens a window for their parents to hear them put their “stuff” like sibling rivalry as an example (when two horses are having a conversation) into the open. Or they say something like “it’s not fair” and which opens the door to more questions, but also the opportunity to support integration.
yes – it’s just so much sfaer (and easier to see and talk about) when it’s not all about us!
I am loving this post… I have already begun to pull animal examples into psychoeducation!!
that is great to hear Jenn – there are so many ways we can do this once we get started!
What I have noticed using a psycho-education approach that is more indirect is that it seems to facilitate more control and interpretation from the client. Often I am surprised by what the client does with a particular psycho-educational story and how it impacts them differently than what I had expected. These moments remind me of how un-expert I am in others’ lives, and in my experience, this approach opens up dimensions that are not possible through a direct psycho-educational approach.
such an important point Jill! I even find this in the trainings when I build our therapeutic stories in as there are so many different themes that people see and draw out from the stoires – some of which I never even saw myself as I wrote them! And I like your phrase: ” how un-expert I am in others’ lives” – this is something I think we all need to keep remembering and applying!
It would be quite interesting to see what would happen if the cultural norm was to move our bodies when we experience “alarm”.
This course is so enlightening to the vast potential of engaging animals in therapy to help people. Can relate to “one step removed” in many contexts, for example if I try to discuss difficult topics directly with one of my teenagers it’s usually not constructive, but if we are on a walk together, or she is petting our dog, or out on a bike ride, (basically anything apart from facing each other and directly talking) she is much more receptive, and both of us are more open to the others point of view.
This is a great article! It allows for connections to be made through watching and experiencing another being. I agree that watching and experiencing with another makes it sometimes easier to relate it to ones own life and experiences.
I agree Katherine – it’s also a really powerful way our (and our horses’) brains learn!
Great article to have to hand – I might even to have to print this one off!
I appreciate how you shared about conflicting emotions and normalized that feeling two things at once is normal in both animals and people. I find the concept of introducing “feeling two things at once” to my clients makes a lightbulb go on!