Minnesota Equine Therapy Rehab Centers
Equine therapy is an alternative treatment that involves those in recovery spending time with and taking care of horses to enhance the healing process. Minnesota offers several of these programs to those who are looking to overcome addiction in a non-traditional environment.
Whether you live in Minnesota, or elsewhere throughout the country, everybody is different in terms of how they respond to certain treatments, specifically when it comes to substance abuse or managing a mental illness. For some people, conventional treatment methods – whether it be via outpatient counseling or short- or long-term residential treatment – may work just fine. But for others, alternative forms of therapy may be necessary to really get to the root of the problem. As we said, everyone is different.
For those in the latter category, however, one emerging type of alternative treatment is equine therapy. Known as a holistic treatment method, equine therapy involves tasking patients to care for horses as a means of building self-confidence, fulfillment and replacing unhealthy habits with healthy ones.
Substance abuse and mental health issues are prevalent across the country and world, much less in the state of Minnesota. For example, it’s estimated that as many as 100,000 Minnesota residents are identified to have an illicit drug problem, yet aren’t currently in treatment. Additionally, 390,000 residents are identified as having a problem with alcohol abuse, yet also aren’t currently in treatment or seeking treatment. Finally, it’s estimated that up to 4.18 percent of the population over 18 years old currently have experienced serious mental health issues in the state within the past year. Not everyone can be helped by conventional treatment methods – equine therapy is one alternative.
Equine Therapy: The Basics
Horses are unique animals, and have been proven to increase the condition of patients in a variety of settings. Through equine therapy, patients are given tasks to carry out with the horses, such as feeding them, grooming them and making sure that they get enough exercise. In most cases, riding them isn’t a part of the program. Not only do these chores help the horse, but it gives the patient a positive way of channeling his or her energy, with the goal of replacing unhealthy habits – which may have led to substance abuse issues in the first place – with healthy ones.
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It’s worth noting that equine therapy isn’t a standalone therapy. In order for it to be successful in rehabilitating a patient, it’s best if it’s one piece of the treatment pie for a patient. So while they may partake in equine therapy, patients also normally go to counseling and participate in other types of treatment and therapy as well on their road to get healthy. Emotional growth and personal development are the two big keys that have been observed from patients engaging in equine therapy – and the therapy has proven to be successful on all types of people, whether it is a child, adolescent or adult.
Contact Us Today
For more information about equine therapy and to locate a rehabilitation center in Minnesota that offers this type of treatment, contact us at RehabCenter.net today. This resource has the information to help someone battling substance abuse or a mental illness locate the right treatment facility and get back on the path to a healthy lifestyle.
