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Welcome to Horse Healing Us

Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in Kyabram Centrally located between Shepparton, Echuca and Bendigo.

Horses Healing Us

About Us

Welcome to Horses Healing Us, where we believe healing can happen differently.

We provide Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in a peaceful rural setting near Kyabram, supporting people experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, emotional difficulties and other life challenges.

Our approach combines professional counselling and psychotherapy with the unique qualities horses bring to the therapeutic relationship. Sessions are tailored to the individual and may incorporate person-centred, strengths-based, Gestalt and narrative approaches.

Whether you are seeking support for yourself, an NDIS participant, or referring a client through a welfare or community organisation, Horses Healing Us provides a compassionate, professional and individually tailored approach.

Horeses Healing Us

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Horses Healing Us

Our team

Members

Horses Healing Us - Yogi Close

Yogi

Yogi may be the smallest of our horses, but he has an enormous personality. Gentle, affectionate and people-loving, he has a wonderful way of making everyone feel welcome.

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Tiggy

Tiggy is a beautiful, gentle mare who loves attention, cuddles and being groomed. Her calm and affectionate nature makes her a much-loved member of our team.

Glory

Glory is our gentle giant. Majestic, calm and kind-hearted, he brings a reassuring presence and quiet confidence to the herd.

Daisy

Daisy is our chocolate-brown Standard Poodle. Gentle, friendly and always pleased to meet people, she is always happy to say hello.

Harley - Horses Healing Us

Harley

Harley is our black-and-tan Miniature Dachshund. Small in stature but enormous in personality, his antics and adorable mannerisms regularly make people smile and laugh.

Horses Healing Us

What Horses Healing Us can offer you

What is Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy?

Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Assisted Therapy can support people experiencing a range of psychological, social and emotional challenges, including:
• Low confidence and poor self-esteem
• ADHD
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Mood disorders
• Trauma and traumatic experiences
• Anxiety and depression
• Recovery from domestic or family violence
• Difficult or unhealthy relationships
Equine-assisted work can also support people seeking:
• Greater self-awareness
• Emotional regulation
• Improved confidence
• Improved wellbeing

Uniquely Tailored Programs

Horses Healing Us programs are tailored to the individual needs, circumstances and therapeutic goals of each client or participant.

Our therapeutic approach draws on established counselling and psychotherapy principles, including:

Person-centred practice, recognising the individual’s existing strengths, abilities and capacity for growth.

Strengths-based practice, building upon existing resources rather than defining people by their difficulties.

Gestalt Therapy, with its emphasis on present-moment awareness and the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Narrative Therapy, helping people explore and reshape the stories through which they understand themselves and their experiences.

These approaches are combined with the unique qualities horses bring to the therapeutic environment, creating opportunities for connection, reflection, learning and change.

Working With Individuals

Private counselling and psychotherapy for people seeking support with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationships, emotional difficulties and life challenges. Private Health Fund rebates may be available to eligible clients.

NDIS
Participants

We work with welfare agencies and community organisations to provide individually tailored therapeutic support for their clients. Programs can include blocks of sessions and progress or summary reporting where required.

Welfare Agencies and Community Organizations

We provide blocks of five sessions to agencies within the social service industry for their clients, which include post session summary feedback.

Group
Programs

Tailored group programs are available for organisations, community groups and other services. Programs use experiential and equine-assisted activities to support connection, confidence, communication, self-awareness and personal development.

Horses Healing
Us

Who Are We

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Andrew Reay

Andrew is an experienced counsellor, psychotherapist and clinical hypnotherapist with more than 20 years in private therapeutic practice. He holds a Master of Counselling from Monash University and has extensive postgraduate training across a range of therapeutic approaches.

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Wendy Halma

Wendy brings decades of experience with horses, from dressage and showing to trail riding and jumping. Her extensive knowledge of horses, calm manner and practical experience are an integral part of Horses Healing Us.

Andrew Reay - Professional Qualifications and Memberships

Andrew’s qualifications and professional memberships support the delivery of professional counselling and psychotherapy services, including services for eligible NDIS participants.

Horses Healing Us - Andrew Reay

• Master of Counselling — Monash University
• Master of Metaphysics
• Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy
• Diploma of Resource Therapy
• Advanced training in EMDR, Brainspotting, Resource Therapy, NLP, EFT/TFT and Motivational Interviewing
• Qualified Clinical Supervisor

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• Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
• Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
• Australian Association of Clinical Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists (AACHP)
• EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA)

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Our Location

We are located just 5 km east of Kyabram in north-central Victoria, approximately 30 minutes from Echuca and Shepparton. Our peaceful 10-acre property is surrounded by native bushland, established gum trees and a picturesque dam, providing a private and tranquil setting for therapeutic work.

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Our Horses

Our three horses — Yogi, Tiggy and Glory — each bring their own personality and unique qualities to Horses Healing Us. From Yogi, our affectionate little Shetland-cross, to gentle Tiggy and our majestic Warmblood, Glory, they are valued members of our therapeutic team.

Horses Healing Us

Frequently Asked Questions

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:

  • Day to day stressful living
  • General emotional regulation
  • Improved feelings of well-being

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:

  • If we have concerns you may harm yourself or others
  • or if this information is subpoenaed by law, then we are mandated to disclose relevant details to necessary authorities.

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.

Horses Healing Us Address: “Moora Moora”, 93 Howards Lane, Kyabram Vic 3620.

Howards Lane is sign posted and can be accessed only off the Lancaster Road C351 and is situated 4.8km east of the township of Kyabram. The same road, is called the Lancaster-Mooroopna Road C351 if you are coming from Shepparton or Mooroopna.

Turn into Howards Lane and drive to the end of Howards Lane, where the bitumen road ends and the surface turns into gravel, you can’t miss it as there is a little cottage on the left-hand side and you will be going through a gap in a picket fence.

Go through the gap in the picket fence and continue past the cottage along the gravel road.

The gravel road after about 90 metres turns left, this is a private roadway that is shared with our neighbours on the left-hand side.

Horses Healing Us is located on the right-hand side about 100 metres along the shared driveway and the entrance is marked with a red wagon wheel, turn right and go through the gates and park to the left.

The clinic front door is located to the left of the double garage door attached to the house.

If all else fails, call us on 0411- 576 676.

Contact Us

Let's Get in
Touch

Email Address

info@horseshealingus.com.au​

Call Us

0411 576 676

Address

"Moora Moora", 93 Howards Lane, Kyabram Vic 3620

Send Message

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