Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) Model

The EAGALA Military Services approach is based on experience and doing. The treatment sessions re-create life experiences, including those involving frustrations, high stress and relationship challenges. This provides opportunities for service members, veterans and their families to re-discover their resources and strengths so that they may overcome obstacles inherent in serving in the Military. In-the-moment feedback is provided by the horses which is often accepted more readily than from a therapist during traditional “talk therapy”.

When treatment is about doing, it’s more engaging and makes more of an impact. Military clients repeatedly report how quickly and deeply they get to the root of their issues and experience meaningful change.

Clients have opportunities to find new solutions to the struggles in their lives. Under the direction of an EAGALA Military Services Treatment team, clients build on their resilience and learn through self-discovery the changes they need to make to be more successful in both military and civilian life.

As part of the treatment team, horses provide military members and their families valuable feedback as they work through past and present challenges involving communication, relationships, problem solving, and self-awareness. Through increasing responsiveness to the needs of self and others and practicing skills related to managing trauma and anxiety, military members are able to discover new ways to apply the strengths learned in the military to their current situation.

EAP uses the unique qualities and sensitivities of the horse and engages clients experientially so that they can work through their issues and problems while discovering their own solutions. Because horses are prey and herd animals, they are highly attuned to others (both animal and human) and hyper-alert to their environment … similar to those suffering with PTSD. In the sessions, horses mirror the client’s fears, frustrations, stress and relationship problems. With the aid of the treatment team and horses, clients gain critical insights into their own thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behavior. Learning takes place in a way that is emotionally safe leading to lasting change. To learn more visit the EAGALA website www.eagala.org