GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – Located in a private facility in Tallebudgera Valley, Equine Assisted Therapy Australia (EATA) is the country’s first organisation to offer an Equine Assisted Therapy Course with a nationally recognised and accredited qualification (RTO no: 41482).
Successful graduates will earn a CHC51015 Diploma of Counselling, with the option to enrol in an 18 month full time course with weekly face-to-face classes and self-directed study, or a 2 year part time course with monthly workshops and additional self-directed studies. Founder Jane Faulkner, who received a Masters Degree in Psychotherapy and is also a certified art therapist, qualified yoga teacher and well respected community mental health champion, will teach the course, focusing on an integrated counselling approach with an equine emphasis, effectively preparing graduates for success in both traditional counselling environments as well as creative therapy with horses.
In response to what she sees as the largest benefit of this kind of therapy for the local community, Jane recognises the “opportunity for healing that it provides, especially to people within the community where nothing else has worked. EAT encourages connection, relationship, self-responsibility and empathy, all qualities that benefit healthy communities. Horses model healthy relationships and community; to a horse, being part of a herd is everything – safety, fun, relationship and comfort. Generally, horses within a herd work at getting along, work out disagreements without killing one another, and they follow herd rules around respect and boundaries. In this way, horses have a lot to teach us! EAT is a form of therapy that provides benefits for many different community members – children, teens and adults with behavioural and/or learning issues, mental health issues, PTSD, eating disorders, drug and alcohol issues and other people on the spectrum have all derived benefit from therapy with the horses. Having a training centre dedicated to providing thorough, comprehensive, quality training in EAT will provide the community with the support that qualified therapists can provide. This training ensures that the therapists are safe and effective, and are able to serve all of the members of the community no matter how dire their situation. As this training centre is the first of its kind in Australia, it also provides a huge opportunity for the community to stand out within the field of EAT.”
Ideal for anyone seeking a recognised qualification in counselling and equine assisted therapy, the course requires no previous qualifications or experience with horses. Instruction in proper horse handling and horse cofacilitation will ensure ultimate safety throughout the process. Participants will learn from highly qualified trainers in a safe and nurturing environment, mastering the skills to support a variety of clients with diverse backgrounds
and issues – including children, teens, adults, families and corporate groups – and assisting them in leading healthier, happier, and more fulfilling lives.
Therapy clients, who can choose to participate through individual sessions, day retreats or group sessions, will experience an integrated counselling approach combining art therapy, equine therapy, yoga and horsemanship, ultimately gaining perspective by learning new ways to solve old problems, integrating proper strategies to thrive on a personal level, and acquiring the awareness to evaluate habits, beliefs and behaviours
Working alongside the therapist and horse, clients of all ages will connect with these intuitive and highly perceptive animals to learn how to use their feelings as information, all while being supported and guided by a well-qualified equine assisted therapist.
Contact: Jane Faulkner
Phone: 0404.787.162
Email: jane@eata.net.au
www.equineassistedtherapyaustralia.com.au
