Equine Assisted Psychotherapy

Our Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) program is an experiential, client-directed mental health intervention conducted in accordance with the Eagala (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) model, an internationally recognized framework for Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and professional training.

EAP services at Pal-O-Mine are delivered by Eagala Certified Licensed Mental Health Professionals working in collaboration with Eagala Certified Equine Specialists, and a horse (or horses) consistent with the team-based model. At present, Pal-O-Mine maintains a multidisciplinary team consisting of 10 licensed and certified clinicians and 11 certified Equine Specialists trained in the Eagala approach. Pal-O-Mine also serves as host to the New York Metropolitan Eagala Networking Group, supporting professional collaboration and continuing education within the field.

All clinical and equine facilitators participate in ongoing professional development, continuing education, and experiential training to ensure adherence to best practices, ethical standards, and model fidelity. Pal-O-Mine’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lisa A. Gatti, currently serves as the Board Chair on Eagala’s Board of Directors.

Pal-O-Mine offers individual, family, and group EAP sessions. Group programming is designed to address clinically relevant treatment issues, including but not limited to grief and loss, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, addiction, and codependency. Specialized groups may also focus on youth-at-risk, women’s empowerment, and military/first responder affiliated populations.

EAP provides an experiential therapeutic environment in which emotional regulation, insight, and behavioral awareness are explored within a safe and supportive setting. Sessions are action-oriented rather than primarily talk-based, and utilize purposeful, hands-on interaction with horses, guided mindfulness practices, and engagement in a natural environment. Through this process clients work toward individualized treatment goals, which may include improved emotional awareness and regulation, enhance communication and interpersonal skills, development of adaptive coping strategies, increased self-efficacy, strengthened problem-solving abilities, and greater personal responsibility.

Important Notice: EAP is a non-Medicaid, private-pay service. It is not a Medicaid State Plan service or HCBS Waiver service. It is not approved, authorized, billed, or reimbursed under Medicaid.

 

For more information about our Equine Assisted Psychotherapy program, please email us at eap.eal@pal-o-mine.org