Equine-Assisted Play Therapy

Equine-Assisted Play Therapy (EAPT) is a specialized integrative modality that seamlessly blends the principles of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) with the intentional, therapeutic inclusion of horses. Designed for children and adolescents, this approach harnesses the unique power of the horse as a sentient co-therapist within a non-directive, accepting play environment to foster profound emotional, social, and psychological growth.

In Equine-Assisted Play Therapy, carefully selected and trained horses participate voluntarily alongside the client and professional team, serving as non-judgmental mirrors of emotion and behavior. Their immediate, authentic feedback helps clients recognize and regulate feelings. At the same time, everyday activities such as grooming, leading, or simply being in the horse’s presence provide safe avenues for expressing complex emotions and experiencing unconditional acceptance and nurturing. 

The core benefits of this approach include enhanced self-esteem and self-acceptance, improved emotional regulation, greater assertiveness and decision-making capacity, increased self-direction, richer nonverbal expression, deeper body awareness, and stronger relational abilities. To ensure safety, ethical practice, and therapeutic effectiveness, sessions are always co-facilitated by a licensed play therapist trained and a qualified equine specialist. 

At its heart, Equine-Assisted Play Therapy views the horse not as a tool or prop, but as a responsive, willing partner. Within the accepting framework of child-centered play therapy, this profound interspecies relationship becomes a transformative vehicle for healing, connection, and self-discovery.