“The passion and amazing calmness I felt was incredible,” comments a teenager when asked about her experience as a participant in the Leading the Way program offered through Abbotsford Community Services thanks to funding from Telus.
“The laughing felt awesome!” says another. Leading the Way is an equine centered healing program for kids and youth.
Equine therapy however can make a world of difference. There’s an interesting book written by Tim Hayes: The Power of Horses to Heal – Riding Home. In it, Hayes comments, “Horses don’t care who you are, what you’ve done, or what you believe. They only care about how you behave with them. This enables them to give unconditional acceptance to a troubled teen who is revealing his or her true self. This acceptance creates a feeling a self-worth.”
Leading the Way includes classroom learning followed by experiential hands on work with horses every session incorporating Trauma Informed Practice. Participants are guided by an experienced equine wellness facilitator. Curriculum topics include confidence & self-esteem, communication skills, healthy boundaries, resilience and courage of self.
Hayes book also recognizes that, “Today a significant number of therapists and therapeutic communities have discovered equine therapy as a valuable method that can initiate powerful psychological healing for at-risk youths in unusually short periods of time. It is these breakthroughs in self-awareness that enable a teen with unexpressed emotional pain to recognize and finally verbalize his/her feelings. This is the imperative first step in the emotional recovery process.”
One participant said that their favorite part of the program was “talking and getting to know people.” Program coordinator Lisa has seen the participants’ confidence and self-esteem soar between the first and the sixth (final) session. And ACS is very grateful to Telus for seeing the potential and agreeing to fund this pilot project.
Leading the Way is enhancing participants’ ability to function in their home, at school and in the community.
For more information call Lisa @ 604-308-7623 or Becky @ 778-880-8555 Ext. 1
