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Contact information
- info@horseshealingus.com.au
- 0411 576 676
- 93 Howards Lane, Kyabram Vic 3620
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Welcome to Horses Healing Us, where we believe that healing is possible for everyone.
If you’re grappling with anxiety, depression, grief, or the effects of trauma, our Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy programs provide a compassionate pathway to wellbeing wholeness and hope.
Join us to experience the natural, non-invasive benefits of our therapy and embark on a transformative journey toward positive change in your life.
We understand that facing your inner struggles can be daunting, which is why we offer a holistic biopsychosocial approach that nurtures your body, soul and spirit.
Yogi simply loves people, loves hugs and attention, he is the smallest of our horses, but he will melt the biggest of hearts.
Miss Tiggy is a real beauty and she has a lovely temperament. Tiggy loves cuddles and being groomed.
Glory is simply majestic, he is a gentle giant with a big heart and inside he is still a little boy despite his age.
Daisy is an 8yo chocolate brown standard Poodle .... who doesn’t love chocolate! Daisy is so gentle, and she simply wants to say hello to everybody.
Harley is a 6yo black and tan miniature dachshund with a huge personality and an abundance of adorable mannerisms which will make you laugh and chuckle.
Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Therapy can help with a range of presenting issues:
psychological, social and physical
however it is most commonly used for supporting people with mental health presentations, such as:
Horses Healing Us Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy Programs are tailored to meet the particular needs of the individual client / participant. Each of us is unique in our own way and we aim to bring together a program to meet your specific goals and circumstances.
Our therapeutic approach embraces some traditional counselling concepts such as:
Person centred stance whereby we recognise that clients / participants have all the skills and talents they need to survive and thrive within themselves
Strengths based in that we seek to amplify the identified strengths of our clients and participants rather than labelling them with terms that limit their potential
Gestalt Therapy a humanistic approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes the present moment and the interconnectedness of thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Narrative Therapy whereby clients can re-author their life stories to overcome challenges and achieve personal growth.
And of course we work with all the magnificent qualities that our horses bring to the therapeutic space, and horses have an amazing capacity to health humans in a way that no other animals can match.
Andrew meets the requirements of Private Health Funds due to his membership of the Australian Couselling Association (ACA), the Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists (AACHP) and the Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Association of Australia. (EMDRAA)
Andrew is qualified to deliver counselling services to NDIS participants under the NDIS Capacity Building category such as ‘Improved Daily Living Skills’.
We provide blocks of five sessions to agencies within the social service industry for their clients, which include post session summary feedback.
We have also developed tailored programs to help people break-through a range of challenging situations.
Horses have been a significant part of psyche of humanity for thousands of years. Humans began domesticating horses as far back as around 4000 BCE (before the common era) in central Asia.
Not that long ago the late 19th and early 20th centuries, horses were an essential part of society as a beast of burden, a mode of transport and considered invaluable until the advent of automobiles and mechanized farm machinery.
Equine assisted therapy utilizes the horses unique characteristics to help individuals improve their mental and emotional wellbeing. Horses are highly attuned to human emotions and energy, providing immediate and honest feedback. Their non-judgemental nature and ability to mirror emotions create a safe space for exploring feelings and building self awareness.
Wendy has been involved with horses for almost 5 decades, from dressage to show and trail riding to jumps.
Andrew has been involved with horses for seven years and working as a mental health professional for 4 decades as a counsellor, hypnotherapist and psychotherapist.
We are located 5kms east of Kyabram, north central Victoria, 30 minutes from Echuca and 30 minutes from Shepparton. Our 10.6 acres is wooded with by native bushes, tall gum trees, a picturesque dam and native birds.
We have 3 beautiful horses in 3 sizes: ‘Yogi’ is a very cute Shetland cross miniature Taffy coloured gelding, ‘Tiggy’ is a pretty mare Australian Stock Horse bay mare and ‘Glory’ is a majestic Warmblood Bay Gelding.
Equine assisted therapy involves various activities with horses that help improve physical, mental and emotional aspects of the participants health and the wellbeing of our diverse range of participants.
Sessions are specifically designed for individuals to take steps their goals: equine assisted psychotherapy activities are experiential in nature, such as leading a horse or pony through to grooming and feeding, all while closely supervised by a trained professional.
Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy can help with a range of presenting issues: psychological, social and physical, however it is most commonly used for supporting people with mental health presentations, such as:
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is set in an environment that feels relaxed and non-judgmental, so it can be suitable for a broad range of people as the majority of participants feel comfortable using and developing their social skills while improving overall wellbeing.
Equine therapy is very effective due to the particular nature of horses – they can mirror human emotions and react similarly to us when placed in social situations. For example, if a participant starts their session calm, the horse is likely to respond in the same manner, allowing them to connect and bond through the activity. On the other hand, if someone starts their activity nervous and agitated, the horse may step away. Each and every session is experiential in nature that leads to insights on individuals state of mind.
Equine Assisted Therapy has a multitude of benefits, helping participants improve their cognitive, physical, emotional and social wellbeing. These can include:
Cognitive: improved attention span, better concentration, greater tactile awareness
Physical: improved muscle tone, better posture, greater balance, better coordination
Emotional and social: improved judgement and awareness, greater self-esteem, boost in confidence and improved regulation
The information you provide in Horses Healing Us sessions remain confidential and cannot be released without your consent, however there are limitations to client confidentiality:
It is customary that therapists take notes during sessions, and you can rest assured that all such notes will be stored securely. As a registered counselor and psychotherapist, Andrew is bound by his association memberships Code of Ethics, which sets out strict guidelines in relation to client confidentiality.
No, not at all. We will teach you about how horses think, and how to be safe when interacting with the horse. No experience is needed at all.
Each person responds to being in the presence of a horse differently.
Some people are confident, and others are not. Many people have never been close to such a large animal, and this can be frightening. That’s totally understandable, it’s all part of the learning and growing.
Clients can choose whether to engage with the horses or not, as part of their therapy journey.
You will need dress for being outside when working with the horses.
The yard you will be working in is covered for shade and the cover keeps most rain out. But on stormy, rainy and windy days we may have to cancel sessions. Also once it gets very hot (about 38 degrees) it is not fair to the horses, you or our team to keep working outside. On a bad day when we can’t work with horses, you might like to come along anyway and have a chat anyway.
No, we will focus on ground exercises around and with the horses, but not on them. Horses Healing Us believe the most powerful interactions from a therapeutic point of view can happen whilst on the ground when connecting with horses and their psychotherapist.
We can’t wait for you to experience our tranquil and beautiful location in Kyabram, in the heart of north central Victoria, located between Bendigo, Shepparton and Echuca.
All appointments are conducted at the therapy rooms in Kyabram, a small town located in north central Victoria
This allows Andrew to complete a full assessment to determine if Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a good fit for you and to explore your specific therapy goals. Subsequent sessions are conducted on the property with the horses.
Our property “Moora Moora”, is peaceful and picturesque, we have an abundance of birdlife on the dam and beautiful gumtrees around the heart of Horses Healing Us, the arena, the horse yards and stable complex.
Australian Counselling Association (ACA #8312), The Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists (AACHP #2003094), The EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA #1001198), The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA #30404)
Arcadia, Ardmona, Ballendella, Bonn, Bunbartha, Burnewang, Byrneside, Carag Carag, Colbinabbin, Cooma, Coomboona, Corop, Deakin, Dhurringile, Echuca, Elmore, Fairy Dell, Gillieston, Girgarre, Girgarre East, Harston, Kanyapella, Kialla, Kotupna, Koyuga, Kyabram, Kyabram South, Kyvalley, Lancaster, Merrigum, Moama, Moora, Mooroopna, Mooroopna North, Murchison, Murchison North, Nanneella, Rochester, Rushworth, Shepparton, Shepparton North, Stanhope, Stanhope South, St. Germains, Strathallan, Tallygaroopna, Tatura, Tatura East, Timmering, Tongala, Toolamba, Toolamba West, Undera, Waranga, Waranga Shores, Wyuna, Wyuna East, Yambuna, Zeerust.
