The HEAL (Healing Equine Assisted Learning) program consists of a team of horses and two facilitators who have spent a lot of their lives working with horses and people.

Based on the EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) model, the experience provided to the person takes place on the ground, where they are offered an opportunity to explore issues through experiential learning. This means that participants learn about themselves and others by engaging and undertaking activities with the horses, and then processing and discussing their thoughts, beliefs, behaviours and patterns.

HEAL provides a therapeutic environment for personal growth, healing and learning.

The participants who benefit from the program are those who are vulnerable, at-risk and in need of additional community support. The participants who access the program have an array of issues including:

-              Traumatic childhood experience

-              Involvement with Child Protection (may still be in care)

-              Attachment disorders (including Reactive Attachment Disorder)

-              Behavioural issues at school and/or home

-              Social issues

-              Mental health issues (including anxiety / depression)

-              Grief and loss

-              Poor self- esteem

-              Interpersonal skills

-              Anger management

-              School refusal

-              At risk of homelessness

-              Family violence

Rather than ‘traditional therapy’’ where participants have to tell their story over and over again until they don’t feel like they have a story at all, or they have lost hope with traditional therapy. HEAL enables the participants an experiential, reflective encounter.  This means that participants learn about themselves and others by participating in activities with the horses, and then processing and/or discussing their feelings, behaviours, and patterns.  The participants often reflect on a situation with the horses and talk about the feelings they experience and relate it back to other situations they felt similar to school or home. Participants identify, reflect and address underlying issues which contribute to their behaviour, drawing on new skills to change behaviour. 

For further information please Email or Call Michelle - 0409 628 085.

Download a HEAL referral form

Cafs is proud to work with EAGALA in providing groundbreaking, evidence-based outcomes relating to equine therapy.

For more information about EAGALA, visit their website