Masterson Method Equine Assisted Therapy: What s it all About?

Transcription

1 Masterson Method Equine Assisted Therapy: What s it all About? Talk with Jim Monthly Call-In Show February 25, 2016

2 An interactive method of equine bodywork where the horse s responses to touch are used to assist the horse in releasing accumulated tension in its body. It is something you do with the horse, rather than to the horse. The responses of the horse are visual and palpable during the session. What is the Masterson Method?

3 An experiential form of therapy that incorporates horses in order to provide clients with physical, mental and behavioral health benefits, therapy and personal development. What is Equine Assisted Therapy or Equine Facilitated Therapy...?

4 What do the Masterson Method and Equine Assisted Therapy have in common? An interesting thing happened on the way to helping horses to release tension... A Masterson Method Seminar Workshop was recently taught at an in-residence ranch for at-risk teenagers to teach them techniques that they might use themselves to help their horses. A few days after the seminar, a psycho-therapist from the therapy side of the facility called the stable to ask what had happened during the seminar, as a couple of the kids had breakthroughs in therapy. Using horses to help humans in mental and physical therapies has been around for a while, but this was a situation where the clear and unintended benefit for the human came out of an intention to treat only the horse. In fact, the benefitsfor the human aren t there unless the focus remains on the treatment of the horse!

5 Joining us tonight are Lise, Becky and Sara, the team instrumental in creating the Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist Program Lise Lunde, Masterson Method Instructor Becky Tenges, Masterson Method Instructor, Mentor and Coach Sara Sherman, Equine Gestalt Coach, certified through Touched by a Horse

6 What is the Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist Program? First and foremost, this program creates an opportunity for clients of equine assisted programs to Give a Gift to the Horse their partner using some of the basic techniques of the Masterson Method. Bringing the Masterson Method to the therapeutic setting, in a highly controlled, structured and safe manner, benefits both the horses and clients. The gentle, tactile, horse-focused, intuitive and interactive nature of this form of bodywork creates many possibilities for connection, communication, and caring. In addition to the predictable benefit to the horses, experience has shown us that this interaction may also benefit the client, either during or after the session. This Program includes a partnership between a Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist and a Mental Health Therapist/Coach who work together to facilitate the session. Each has specific skills and responsibilities during the session.

7 How does this program work? When using Masterson Method techniques, understanding howhorsesrespondtotouchandpressureisimportanttobe successful with the bodywork. Discussion of some of the natural instincts and responses that exist in the horse are included in teaching clients how use these techniques. The session is about the horse. 1. The focus on how the horse may respond or react, shifts the focus of the experience toward the horse. 2. The intention is directed at "giving" to the horse. 3. This is an opportunity to assist the horse in releasing physical tension. 4. The experience will expand communication and connection between horse and client.

8 What are the potential benefits to the client? The Masterson Method Equine Therapy session includes carefully selected techniques that may have additional benefits to the client participating. The techniques are selected based on the following potential therapeutic benefits to the client: Provides opportunity to interact with horse without requirement of physical strength Improves skills, self confidence, a sense of personal empowerment and pride due to ability to work with the horse Promotes a feeling of calmness and connection between the horse and client Reduces anxiety due to lowered cortisol level when with the horse Provides an opportunity to give selflessly to another living being Offers a deep sense of connection, non-judgment, and unconditional love Improves focus and provides opportunity to "be present" while focusing on subtle nonverbal responses in the horse Provides a sense of self and personal value due to impact that client perceives they have on horses due to the horse s responses during the release of tension Provides experience of mindfulness which is based on the horse-client interaction Promotes intimacy and a healthy avenue to conversations around body image

9 During the last 18 months: we have piloted the Masterson Method with Equine Assisted Programs, developed a Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist training course, and conducted the inaugural MMET Specialist course for Masterson Method practitioners. Our pilot projects have provided us with a variety of insights and have enabled us to identify challenges to be managed and risks to be mitigated. Our experiences have reinforced our enthusiasm for expanding this opportunity to additional Equine Assisted Programs. What have we learned?

10 For the Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist Insights 1. A collaboration between a MMET Specialist and Mental Health therapist/coach is the key to providing a meaningful experience for horses and clients during the session. 2. A discussion and basic understanding of the Masterson Method is critical for any staff involved and for the clients participating in the sessions. 3. The personal insight for the client may occur after the session has been completed. 4. Ongoing communication between the MMET Specialist and the Mental Health therapist/coach is important during each session. 5. Horses are amazing partners in this type of work. Challenges & Risks 1. During these sessions horses can have unexpected responses that may require the MMET Specialist to intervene, but to do so with the utmost care and sensitivity to the client s wellbeing. 2. During these sessions clients can have experiences that may require intervention by the Mental Health therapist/coach. 3. The MMET Specialist must be able to be flexible and must be able to multitask during the session to meet the needs primarily of the horse and the client, but secondarily, the client s care giver and counselor, the horse handler, the facility, the facility coordinator, and others, as necessary. 4. The MMET Specialist s responsibilities are significant and varied, including competence as an MM Practitioner, ability to demonstrate techniques while teaching them, acute peripheral perspective, insight and sensitivity to challenges faced by clients generally and by individual clients specifically and the ability to step back from the interaction between horse and client in order to keep all participants safe.

11 Areas of importance from the Mental Health Therapist or Coach perspective: During a session it is possible a horse may become overwhelmed and no longer be appropriate for the session. In this instance it is imperative the client not see this as a personal failure or fault. There are instances where a client may be unable to participate or unwilling. Care should be taken to accommodate these clients. There are instances where a client may be fearful of horses in general. Care should be taken to accommodate these clients. In group settings it is important that the person (client or staff) that is handling the horse is appropriate and capable of stepping into that role during the session. Precautions should be taken to be mindful of any serious Mental Health issue that could be triggered by techniques. Awareness of client s inability to accept touch due to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or some other past experience or personal beliefs. Processing with the client is to happen AFTER they have engaged in hands on work with the horse. There is a tendency to want to process in the moment, due to the focus of this session it is imperative the process take place after the fact. This keeps the focus on the horse while Masterson techniques are being used.

12 Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist Training Due to the complex nature of the responses that horses exhibit while participating in Masterson Method work and to the need to be able to anticipate and manage these responses for the safety of both horses and clients, at this time MMET Specialist training is available only to Masterson Method Certified Practitioners who have an interest in bringing some of the basic Masterson Method techniques to Equine Assisted programs. At this time we do not have a training program for people who do not hold the MMCP designation. However, we are currently exploring the possibility of developing a new Masterson Method Certification program designed for an equine professional interested only in this application of the Masterson Method.

13 What s included in the MMET Specialist Training Course? 1. Overview of the Masterson Method in the Equine Assisted setting 2. Overview of how people learn, styles of learning and how to teach the MM techniques 3. Overview of types of clients served by these programs 4. The nature of the horse as a herd and prey animal and how to present this to various types of clients 5. Overview of working with therapy horses, including common physical and psychological challenges these hard-working horses may harbor 6. Hands on experience using Masterson Method techniques with therapy horses 7. Choosing specific Masterson Method techniques to use during a session 8. Responsibilities of the Masterson Method Equine Therapy Specialist before, during and after a session 9. Guidelines for partnering with Mental Health Therapist/Coach in an established Equine Assisted program 10. Pre-session preparation 11. Overview of ethical and legal responsibilities 12. Role playing to enhance skills and to learn how to manage the unexpected, with special emphasis on sensitivity for the well-being of the client and on the safety of the horses 13. Review of documents to be used in programing and processes to follow on implementation

14 The end