Mental Health & Wellness Programs
for Kids and Adults
Horses have a unique ability to reflect back to us valuable information about how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world around us without having to talk about it.
Our Equine Therapy Program focuses on relationship skills and can be custom-designed for
groups, and
individuals based on their wants and needs.
Our programs teach valuable life skills that can be put into immediate use. The pillars of our programs are Mindfulness, Connection, Communication, and Leadership.
Relational skill-building therapy helps clients learn self-awareness, experience profound connection, emotional regulation, effective communication, and healthy boundaries within relationships.
Clear communication, trust, and respect are at the core of relationships with horses and humans. Through relational skill-building therapy, clients learn to recognize and adjust their physical, mental, and emotional state in the moment.
Our Mental Health and Wellness activities are thoughtfully planned to teach important life skills and promote personal growth.
Clients consistently report experiencing more self-awareness, confidence, and relaxation, and leave with skills to improve relationships with themselves and others. PATH and EAGALA certified Program Facilitators provide our Mental Health & Wellness programs. Our therapy sessions incorporating horses include a PATH-certified, licensed Mental Health professional.
Contact Us
949.485.1505 or info@otra-mas.org
Programs
Groups, Families and Individuals
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We provide programs for children aged 7 -17, and adults
individually and in groups.
We help enhance self-esteem, build self-confidence and healthy relationships, learn to manage emotions, and move forward in life.
We work with families, teams, and co-workers to better understand themselves and others, improve cooperation, and enhance communication and leadership skills within relationships.
Contact us
949.485.1505 or info@otra-mas.org
Who We Work With
We have clients from all backgrounds. Below is a list of the various populations we are proud to serve:
Foster Care Families
Boys and Girls Club
Cancer Warriors
Recovery Homes
Veterans
Sport Teams
Corporations
Individuals who are looking to live happier, healthier lives
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Horses reveal, react to, and mirror what is going on with the physical, emotional, and mental state of people in their environment. Because horses are herd animals, their survival depends on the safety and well being of the herd. They are very aware of nonverbal signals of other horses, animals and humans. Their reactions are lightning fast to any perceived danger.
Horses relax around and want to be with people who are present, grounded and authentic. They will test boundaries with people, as they do naturally with their own herd members when they determine and establish their “pecking order”. It’s as if they are saying “ Who are you? What are you about and What do you want? I/we have to be safe, so if you aren’t going to step up and be a good leader, then I will.”
In an equine therapy session, we start with teaching the language of a horse—how to be safe around a horse and how to emotionally connect with them using their communication rituals. In doing that, the horse and human both relax, and a resonances occurs ( it has been scientifically proven that heart rates of the horse and human synchronize). This allows the horse to become a partner ( or herd member) with the individual or group for the next phase of therapy—doing experiential exercises designed to address a specific issue—such as trust, self esteem, team building, past trauma, boundary setting or relationship issues.
Another part of an equine session is herd observation. Horses, look to assign a role for everyone in their herd. The social structure of a herd provides interesting metaphors for how us human individuals interact within a group. Who is the quiet one? Who is the leader? Who is the in-your-face one? Who is the loner? Which horse is most like you? These questions can lead to interesting discussions, new awareness, and new acceptance of oneself in relation to others. To horses, all ways of being are valuable.
Carol Caddes LMFT, SEP
