Equine Assisted PsychologY

Are you feeling overwhelmed or distressed by your emotions? Perhaps you feel trapped in unhelpful patterns with yourself or others? Clients who come for equine assisted psychology are often struggling to feel ok about themself or their relationships with others. They might also be feeling confused, disconnected and alone. Other clients who come for equine assisted psychology have previously tried traditional room based therapies and have felt it didn’t quite hit the mark or are interested in trying something innovative and different.

By building greater awareness or your thoughts, emotions and behaviours, equine assisted psychology can help you learn to manage your emotions more effectively, so you feel in control, not your emotions. Clients who come to Yarra Valley Equine Assisted Psychology (YVEAP) want to build better relationships with themselves and those around them. Meredith helps clients to develop a greater awareness and acceptance of one self, increased trust and also improve self-confidence. Equine Assisted Psychology can open the door to experiencing different emotions, such a calmness and connection and allows clients try out different ways of being and behaving in a safe environment.

FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT Equine Assisted PsychologY

If you’re still with us, you are probably thinking that Equine Assisted Psychology might be for you. So here is a little more detailed information about the field that might help you in your decision:

1) Animal Assisted Therapy

  • There are a broad range of animal assisted therapies that include a variety of animals (dogs, cats, rabbits, horses etc.) as co-therapists. Animal Assisted Therapies are adjunctive treatment for people with both physical and mental health conditions. 

2) Equine Assisted Therapy

  • Equine Assisted Therapy has been called by a number of names, including Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, Equine Assisted Psychological Therapy, Equine Assisted Therapy, Equine Assisted Treatment or Equine Mental Health Treatment. It may or may not include riding and supports clients with psychological difficulties and both physical and mental health conditions.
  • Equine Assisted Therapy can be offered by a variety of professionals, including counsellors, social workers, mental health nurses or physical therapists.
  • Here at YVEAP we offer a particular type of equine assisted therapy – equine assisted psychology. Keep reading to find out more.

3) Equine Assisted Psychology

  • As Meredith is a registered clinical psychologist, she can provide evidence based psychological treatment, but in the presence of a horse, in a paddock, field or yard.
  • Equine Assisted Psychology offers traditional empirically supported room based therapies (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), but with the support of a a horse, usually in a paddock or field.
  • Meredith works with adults over the age of 18

ROOM BASED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Services 

 

Are you struggling to cope or feeling overwhelmed by your emotions? Or maybe you are wondering if there is something wrong with you, and you are fearful that you may be damaged or broken. Perhaps something has happened to you that feels impossible to move on from. Clients come to YVEAP feeling sad, anxious or just confused. They often have a sense of disconnection with themself or others and feel lost in the world.

Clients come to YVEAP wanting to think, feel and do life differently. Meredith works with clients to help them feel less distressed and reconnect with themselves and others around them. Meredith can help clients build a deeper acceptance of what has happened to them, allowing them to move forward with their lives. Clients who come to YVEAP also want to find meaning in their life again and start to feel ‘normal’ again. Feeling normal is different for each client, for some it might mean sleeping better, increased energy and motivation, improved concentration or feeling less edgy and more calm.

Meredith is available for room based and telehealth clinical psychological assessment and treatment. Meredith offers services to adults aged over 18.

Meredith offers empirically supported interventions for the following mental health disorders:

      • mood disorders (depression, post-natal depression and bi-polar affective disorder) 
      • trauma (post-traumatic stress disorder) 
      • psychosis (schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia) 
      • anxiety (panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder) 
      • obsessive compulsive disorder

Other issues Dr. Meredith can offer psychological treatment for include: 

      • Adjusting to life transitions and changes 
      • Grief and loss 
      • Stress management 
      • Navigating tricky relationships 
      • Managing difficult emotions and emotion regulation