By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
A Hays therapist is offering a new type of mental health therapy that incorporates horses and donkeys.
Deanna Rupp, therapist, offers equine-assisted psychotherapy through her business Horse & Soul.
Although Rupp, who is a licensed clinical social worker, also offers traditional in-office therapy, she said some clients benefit from the calming presence of the animals.
Rupp uses horses and miniature donkeys to help clients regulate their breathing and nervous systems, fostering calmness and self-awareness.
Sessions, typically an hour long, can involve leading, grooming or completing obstacles. Sessions are held at Triple 8 Equine outside of Hays.
The therapy is beneficial for various diagnoses, including anxiety, depression and trauma, and can be billed through health insurance.
Rupp became acquainted with the concept of horse therapy while attending graduate school at Wichita State University.
Rupp has worked in private practice for three years and added horse therapy in February.
Rupp owns her own horses and miniature donkeys.
“It's a way to put my passion for animals and providing mental health care together. So that's what I did,” she said.
Rupp explained the process of using horses in therapy.
“I think the concept of using animals for compassion, for companionship, for calming, for support—that's not really a new concept,” she said.
She said horses are prey animals and are naturally alert and hypervigilant.
In order to approach a horse, you have to be calm yourself.
“If you learn to regulate your breathing, regulate your nervous system, it's much more likely you're going to be able to interact with a horse. If that's a difficult thing for you, this helps,” Rupp said.
She said some people gravitate toward animals. The therapy becomes experiential rather than talk therapy.
Sometimes the client is inside of an arena. Sometimes they’re outside in the pasture area. Sometimes it's observation. Sometimes it's just sitting in the arena and letting the horses walk around, and create the environment that they do, Rupp said.
Rupp said horse therapy can also help build self-esteem and confidence. It can also help clients to be mindful.
“In order to interact with any type of animal, you have to be present. You have to be in the here and now,” Rupp said. “Most animals, [including] horses, provide direct reflection in real time. So I think that it helps with that as well. “
If someone is nervous, the animal picks up on that emotion. If the person is sad, the horse also picks up on that, Rupp said.
“So, for example, if somebody is really anxious and walking quickly, and their body shows that, the horse will walk away,” she said.
Horse therapy is not for everyone.
Horse therapy is not riding lessons.
Clients who choose this therapy need to be somewhat comfortable working with large animals. However, clients don’t need to have any prior experience with horses. They don’t need to know how to ride. There is no riding in this therapy.
They need to be physically mobile enough to maneuver on the uneven surfaces of the arena and the pasture.
Clients also need to be able to understand the safety rules and follow verbal instructions.
Rupp provides service for children, teens and adults. She also offers traditional therapy through telehealth.
Rupp said she sees significant changes in her clients after their experiences with the horses.
“So the [horse] wants to connect with you,” Rupp said, “I think to have a 1,200-pound animal want you to pet it and feel safe enough to let you touch it, for some people, it's transformative.
“If you can get yourself calm enough, quiet enough, regulated enough, patient enough and are willing to try some different things, think outside of the box … I think that's powerful for people, and they can relate that to the real world, immediately probably.”
You can contact Horse & Soul at 785-432-1283 or email contacthorseandsoulks.com.
Rupp’s website is www.horseandsoulks.com or follow her on Facebook.