Healing Journeys with Suzie Daggett
It is so remarkable to explore new (to me) therapies that are being used by professionals with excellent results. I met Susan Byrne, a marriage family therapist and the owner of In the Presence of Horses, who has found a way to combine her therapy work with her other most favorite interest - animals. Susan helps many people work through their emotional, mental or even spiritual issues with the help of horses and dogs. She is living a life of pure passion because she listened to her own inner signals, which caused her to leave one job, and return to school. She now works diligently to help people heal though the energy and love from animals.
What triggered you to go back to school and become a Marriage and Family Therapist?
I spent many years in the corporate world, and while I had many successes and titles to match, I was not working from my place of greatest passion; animals. My dream was always to be able to put my passion for animals together with helping people. There were some life altering events that said to me "Do it now, find a way." With that in mind, I found an excellent MFT (Marriage Family Therapy) graduate program and changed my life.
How have you married your two passions - therapy and horses?
I had a great passion for animals since I was able to walk and talk. When I was 11 years old and got my first horse I knew horses were going to be essential to my life. I have personally known about and experienced the healing power of animals. Animals have been used for healing for centuries. More recently however, there has been an introduction of formal training and education programs offering a therapeutic model. When I went back to graduate school I knew that I would specialize in this wonderful new venue of Animal Assisted Therapy. Currently I do Animal Assisted Therapy with my dogs and I do Equine Assisted Psychotherapy with my horses.
What is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and what are the benefits?
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an emerging field in which horses are used as catalysts for emotional growth and learning. It is experiential in nature in that individuals learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with horses and then they discuss feelings, behaviors and patterns with the therapist. This approach has been compared to rope courses and other adventure-based activities. EAP has the added advantage of utilizing horses, dynamic and powerful living beings. The use of horses to facilitate emotional growth and learning is becoming recognized as a powerful and effective approach to helping people of all ages. It is difficult to describe the power of the horse in EAP. Those who are familiar with horses recognize and understand the power of horses to influence people in incredibly powerful ways, especially since horses have an amazing power to heal and to teach. They offer unconditional friendship, experience a wide range of feelings and provide immediate, honest, observable feedback in response to interactions with them. As a therapist, I can allow these wonderful creatures to help clients better understand their own feelings and be better able to communicate with me (the therapist) and others. Horses are sensitive to nonverbal stimulus, which makes them astute therapeutic guides. They often reveal things about us that we may not be aware of, and they are honest, intuitive, intelligent and patient. They teach clients affection, empathy, courage, and self-acceptance. Perhaps most importantly, they offer clients hope.
What is the focus of EAP?
The focus of EAP is not riding or horsemanship – the client does not ride the horse. The therapy with the horse and client involves setting up activities with the horse which requires the individual or group to apply certain skills such as: non-verbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking and problem-solving, leadership, work, taking responsibility, teamwork and relationships, confidence, and positive attitude. The horses are social beings that bring us insight into group dynamics and our individual roles we play in our daily lives. EAP is useful as an adjunct to traditional, talk therapy. It is a brief approach that successfully addresses a variety of mental health needs including: behavioral issues, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, abuse issues, grief, depression, anxiety, relationship problems and communication needs.
How do soulful emotions come to the surface with the assistance of a horse or dog?
I work with many clients who have experienced abuse and trauma. Their injury can be physical, emotional or sexual. With that type of trauma, there is an injury that is a wounding of the soul. The hardest thing to do when working with someone - especially a child who has been abused - is gaining trust. The kind of love an animal offers is unconditional. It is love at the soul level. It heals the soul wound. I can not tell you how that happens. I can only tell you that it does. It is magical and mystical what animals can do.
What is your role with the horse, dog and client?
First, my role is to foster a relationship between the animal and the client. That is the primary healing relationship. I facilitate, reflect, guide and create a safe place for the healing to happen. You see, clients have the answers inside them. I am there to help them find their way through to their own solutions and help them rediscover their own soul connection. That is where the healing happens.
Susan Byrne, MFT and In the Presence of Horses can be reached at 530-205-8197.
Healing Journeys is a column written by Suzie Daggett for the Grass Valley Union newspaper. Suzie interviews a variety of health practitioners most Fridays in the Wellness section. Click here to read past articles. Enter "Suzie Daggett" in the search box to get listing of all articles. |
