What we offer
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Individual Sessions (about 50 min) equine assisted therapy
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Individual Sessions (about 50 min) equine assisted learning
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Small Group Sessions (up to 5 participants) equine assisted learning
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Weekend Intensives Individuals
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Weekend Intensives Small Groups
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Individual or Small Group Leadership Development
What is the difference between Equine Assisted Therapy & Equine Assisted Learning
Equine Assisted Therapy is a professional, innovative and experiential approach to counselling and psychotherapy offered by registered counsellors and psychotherapists that supports clients in addressing therapeutic goals with the horses as assistants and teachers in the process.
Equine Assisted Learning is a unique approach to experiential learning, where clients are offered safe experiences with horses in order to develop personal, social, emotional or relationship skills, enhance their quality of life or develop professional skills (e.g. leadership and team building).
At Stable Change we offer both approaches and we will discuss with each client what their personal learning / therapy goals may be.
What to expect in a session
Our sessions usually begin near the horses as we check in with your needs and goals. I work with you to define your goals and we focus on your strengths and the integration of the whole person.
We then move closer to the horses and you can interact with them in a myriad of different ways. Engaging with the horses provides the opportunity to gain fresh, honest awareness of your truths. The horses don’t care who you are and what your position is, they interact without any agenda from a point of complete authenticity.
We then provide the one-on-one time and space to reflect on the equine experience, make connections, explore the development of new skills that promote emotional health and work towards personal solutions applicable to your life.
Our sessions aim to help you to develop more awareness, improve confidence and explore new ways to overcome challenges through safe and positive experiences. Our horses provide support, regulation and a new perspective. They add their unique personalities and authentic contact to create a safe emotional space where healing can occur.
We take our sessions out of an office setting into the natural environment.
We connect horses and humans to increase the potential for healing of emotional wounds, increasing resilience, building healthy relationships, restoring confidence and developing leadership skills.
We welcome you with or without horse experience.
You Can Benefit...
If you need help but sitting in an office talking to a therapist does not work for you.
If you love animals... If you like to be in nature... If you want to do more than talk and would like to experience change and new possibilities first hand.
We can help you build capacity in many areas, including:
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slowing down, becoming more present and grounded
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learning skills to reduce stress and anxiety
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alleviating mental health concerns
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increasing awareness of oneself, of being in relationship and of the world around us
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developing clear and healthy boundaries
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getting better at making appropriate choices and becoming aware of patterns that no longer serve us
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building resilience and confidence
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Increasing communication skills
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learning how to make heartfelt connections
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participating in the wisdom of horses
Please note that are not a crisis service and are not set up to deal with severe mental health issues. We operate by appointment only. If you urgently need to speak to a mental health professional, the following services are available:
NSW Mental Health Crisis Team 1800 011 511
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Lifeline 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au
Why Horses?
Being with horses encourages you to stay present. As prey animals, horses have evolved to be extremely aware of their environment. They respond to our body language and other non-verbal cues with immediate authenticity and give us valuable insight and feedback about how we are, how we present ourselves and how we relate to others. They are highly sensitive and walk with us without judgement. They allow us to experience and try out new ways of being, encouraging us to shed behaviours which no longer serve us well.
You can’t control a horse, it is too big and and too powerful. We have to find ways to work together. Approaching a horse allows us to reflect on how we approach our relationships and how we face obstacles in our lives. Learning to use your clear boundaries and mental focus to direct a large powerful horse, may increase your confidence, clarity of purpose and a sense of personal power.
Horses are herd animals who live in complex social environments and are in constant communication with each other. They seek leaders and encourage us to develop qualities such as calmness, awareness, confidence, compassion, acceptance and connection.