An Equine Program as Unique as Honey Lake Clinic
Discover valuable insights into yourself and your addictions or struggle, overcome fears, develop confidence, and gain clarity through our faith-based equine therapy program.
At Honey Lake Clinic, our equine program is used in correlation with other forms of treatment and education, offering individuals a deeper awareness of themselves and a perfect environment in which to explore their feelings, behaviors, and interactions with others.
Equine-assisted programs have been around for many years. They have proven to be very effective in treating a wide range of mental health and mood disorders, including addiction, depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
“Horses are truly amazing creatures. They’re non-judgmental. But they have an ability to discern and then mirror the attitudes and behaviors of the human working with them. Simply put, horses will show you things about yourself, if you’re willing to look.”
– Honey Lake Clinic’s Equine Program Horseman
What Is Our Equine Program?
Our equine program is a form of experiential therapy involving interactions between patients and horses, all supervised by an experienced professional. It involves trail rides, grooming, and taking care of the horses.
Interactions with horses help to reveal thought and behavior patterns that are related to the issues that have brought patients into treatment.
How Does Our Faith-Based Equine Program Work?
Horses are majestic, gentle creatures, and their sheer size and strength can stir deeply buried emotions in patients. In working with our horses, patients gain valuable insights into themselves, their addictions or mental health concerns, and how they can better relate both with themselves and with others. Through our equine program, patients learn valuable lessons about respect, empathy, and communication that will serve them in their treatment, recovery, and beyond.
“When I was researching Honey Lake Clinic I was attracted to their website because they offered an Equine Program. I loved starting my morning by going by and stopping at the horses to pet and love on them.”
– Melissa H., Frisco, TX
At Honey Lake Clinic, we focus on intertwining an equine program with core concepts taken from Dr. Benzio’s SPEARS model and on offering an equine program that connects with the rest of what patients are receiving during treatment, addressing the needs of their bio-psycho-social-spiritual health throughout their stay.
What Are The Benefits of Our Equine Therapy Program?
Equine-assisted therapy has proven effective in helping patients develop accountability, responsibility, self-confidence, problem-solving ability, and self-control. Working with horses can help people develop several skills for healthier living, including:
- Identifying and coping with negative thoughts and feelings
- Communicating better with others
- Setting boundaries
- Overcoming fears
- Building trust
Research also confirms equine-assisted therapy’s effectiveness in lowering blood pressure and heart rate, alleviating stress, and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
“Horses bring a sense of calming. The horses here at Honey Lake not only helped me with my condition but also brought me closer to God. They bring peace and it’s amazing to see God’s creation through them.”
– Allen R., Woodbridge, VA
Our Equine Program at Honey Lake Clinic Goes Further
Our equine program at Honey Lake is set apart from other equine therapy programs because we recognize the importance of incorporating spirituality into the treatment process.
We believe horses can play a valuable role in helping us recognize the closeness of God through connection with these strong and powerful yet gentle and humble animals He created. The horses show us these attributes of God—great power combined with gentleness and meekness—attributes that we have difficulty envisioning combined.
We emphasize the spiritual components of our equine program as well as taking advantage of some of the more traditional components, such as a horse’s unique ability to mirror the emotions, actions, and reactions of individuals interacting with them.
Healthy Fresh Starts Through the Equine Program at Our Lakeside Resort
Another very unique nuance of Honey Lake Clinic’s equine program is the opportunity our patients have to partner with a horse who has come from a difficult background or needs a new start in life. In our program, you’ll be connecting with and helping train a horse for a brighter future. You’ll see the horse making improvements just as you are making improvements. You’ll be helping one another to heal—healing together.
Our equine program is another example of the unique treatment options available at Honey Lake Clinic, which enable us to help individuals address their health across all three spheres—spirit, mind, and body—offering each person his or her greatest potential for wholeness and transformative growth.
At Honey Lake, we’re committed to providing you with compassionate care and the practical equipping necessary to significantly improve the condition which brought you to our program. A faith-informed model, experienced staff, licensed professional caregivers, and individualized treatment—all in a beautiful and tranquil 1300-acre lakeside setting. We’re here for you.
