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Youth

CoachHorse provides services to struggling youth 7 to 17 with various problems, including negative relationship and behavioral patterns, anger, control, and distrust; emotional difficulties,  low self-esteem, anxiety, depression; and a variety of other issues, including academic underachievement and communication styles.

Through identifying the emotional, social, or behavioral difficulties the troubled, defiant, and/or rebellious child or adolescent has, a treatment plan with measurable goals will specifically address the problem area. The counselor will help the young child or adolescent cultivate alternative, more appropriate, and more effective ways of dealing with life’s challenges.

The counselors at CoachHorse focus on each child or adolescent’s strengths inspiring and providing them with the tools necessary to become confident, competent, and caring individuals.

When appropriate Equine Assisted Counseling (EAC) will be incorporated. EAC is an emerging treatment modality that the counselor may use in treating youth because of the therapeutic process young people go through as they develop a relationship with a horse. In short, the youth must earn the trust of a horse. To earn this trust, youth must learn to relate effectively with the horse and successfully respond to the challenges the horse presents.

Horses are prey animals, which naturally puts them into a position of being aware of their surroundings and on constant guard. The animals are highly sensitive and respond to the moods, feelings, attitude, and especially body language of the child or adolescent. Horses do not respond well to anger, aggression, frustration, manipulation, bullying, or disrespect, which many troubled youth initially may try to use in their interaction with a horse. The child or adolescent have to develop alternative strategies for relating with a horse than they have used in the past to relate to other people in their lives.

The sheer size of a horse – in many cases, the animals weigh over 1,000 pounds – also inspires the child or adolescent to develop respect and awareness. Horses help guarded and closed-off youth release their hostility, work with their defense barrier, open up, and act more truthfully and authentically. Many times they can develop admiration, compassion, and empathy as well as reduction in loneliness. Children and adolescents learn to develop healthier ways of interacting and cooperating with others.

Youth have struggled with one or more of the following issues:

• Anger

• Anxiety

• Asperger Disorder

• Attachment Disorder

• Bipolar Disorders

• Borderline or Other Personality Disorder

• Depression

• Eating Disorder

• Emotional Abuse

• Oppositional or Defiant Behaviors

• Parenting Issues

• Peer Pressure

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Poor Body Image

• Sexual Abuse

• Trauma