Interesting Read
Aspen Ranch to Present
Equine Therapy Model At IECASeptember 29, 2009Aspen Ranch, a licensed residential treatment center for struggling teens ages 13-17, has announced that Clinical Director Brandon Burr, Program Director Kevin Knutson and Equine Director Chad Lyman will present their Equine Companionship and Partnership Rituals (ECPR) model at IECA's Fall Conference, November 11-14, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The presentation will focus on the clinical application of the ECPR model, which is based on equine co-facilitated psychotherapy. The model differs from other equine-based interventions in that it focuses on the equine-student relationship and incorporates the horse as a true co-facilitator in the therapeutic process.
"During equine-student sessions, we use a multi-step relationship-building process," says Knutson. "This helps students identify their interpersonal strengths and weaknesses so they can become more socially competent and experience greater success in their interpersonal relationships."
Adds Lyman: "The student-horse relationship is built on trust, patience and positive communication skills that easily translate into the real world. When a student encounters a problem with a horse, we approach it from the standpoint of a life problem not just a horse problem."
The seven steps of the model, also known as relationship building rituals, provide a unique method of discussing, illustrating and remediating parent-child relationship problems and parent skill training.Equine therapy has long been the hallmark of the Aspen Ranch program. With the development of an Equine Co-Facilitated Psychotherapy Certification Program last fall, the equine approach has been further integrated into every aspect of treatment. The certification program ensures that the Ranch's therapists and equine professionals are thoroughly cross-trained. Therapists who are already skilled in psychotherapy become proficient in equine work, while equine staff members who are already skilled in working with horses receive intensive therapeutic training.
"Our team is looking forward to presenting our equine therapy model at IECA," says Burr. "Equine therapy is founded on the principle that, through working with horses, students can learn life skills that initiate change. We hope that by sharing our techniques, we can help facilitate even more positive change with struggling teens."
Aspen Ranch is a licensed adolescent residential treatment center for teens experiencing low self esteem, academic underachievement, substance abuse, mood disorders, anger, and family conflict. Located in rural Loa, Utah, Aspen Ranch provides the opportunity for students to experience success and rediscover a sense of self worth by living in a therapeutic environment, attending an individually paced school designed for success, participating in individual and group therapy, and involvement in the life-changing Equine Program.
Aspen Ranch is a program of Aspen Education Group, the nation's leading provider of therapeutic education programs for struggling or underachieving young people. Aspen's services range from short-term intervention programs to residential treatment, and include a variety of therapeutic settings such as boarding schools, outdoor behavioral health programs and special needs summer camps, allowing professionals and families the opportunity to choose the best setting to meet a student's unique academic and emotional needs. Aspen is a division of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. For over two decades, CRC Health has been achieving successful outcomes for individuals and families.
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