At Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, trauma informed care and evidence-based treatment approaches are of utmost importance. Research supports these approaches in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, oppositional behavior, mood disorders, trauma related symptoms, addictions, and personality disorder traits.
New to YBGR, Equilateral Therapy is an approach that combines EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with Equine Therapy. EMDR is an evidence-based therapy practice that helps kids process trauma and reduces Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). EMDR focuses on directly altering emotions, thoughts, beliefs and physical sensations that occurred at the time of a disturbing or traumatic experience. During EMDR therapy, eye movements through lights or finger movements and other forms of rhythmic, left-right (bilateral or dual-attention) stimulation (tones, taps, etc.) are used while the youth briefly focus on the trauma memory. The vivid images and emotions of the memory are processed to help change the way the memory is stored in the brain, reducing the frequency and intensity of problematic symptoms.
Adding horses to EMDR sessions offers additional benefits. Horses can sense emotional changes in people and their behavior reflects that awareness, serving as a mirror for the patient and allowing them to see themselves and their reactions to the memory more clearly. Horses can act as a method of bilateral or dual-attention stimuli, with the ability of youth to walk them around, observe them moving back and forth, brushing them, or other similar interventions. Horses can also help ground the youth in the here and now when they are at risk of going too deeply into a memory. Tactile contact with the animal is reassuring and comforting, creating a safe space to process trauma.
Consider a gift to Yellowstone Foundation in support of Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch and similar organizations that treat youth facing the damage severe trauma has had on their lives.
For more information Contact us Today!
Call 406.656.8772 | Email abigail@yellowstonefoundation.org
