Equine-Assisted Mental Health Interventions: Harnessing Solutions to Common Problems

Written by internationally renowned equine-assisted mental health professionals, this edited collection teaches counselors how to design and implement equine-assisted mental health interventions for different populations and various challenges. Supported by ethical considerations and theoretical frameworks, chapters cover common issues including depression, anxiety, grief, ADHD, autism, eating disorders, substance abuse, self-esteem, social skills and communication, couples and family work, and professional development. Each chapter provides practical tips for implementing treatment strategies, case studies with transcript analyses, and sample session notes. This book will appeal to both the expert equine-assisted mental health counselor and the seasoned counselor who is open to partnering with an equine practitioner to help their clients in new and innovative ways.

About the Author

Kay Sudekum Trotter, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, NCC, CEIP-MH, is a licensed professional counselor supervisor, author, speaker, and consultant, as well as the founder of Kaleidoscope Behavioral Health in Flower Mound, Texas, where she has developed and taught animal-assisted therapy workshops. Dr. Trotter's groundbreaking research led to one of the first published studies on the effectiveness of equine-assisted mental health. She is the author of Harnessing the Power of Equine Assisted Counseling: Adding Animal Assisted Therapy to Your Practice .

Jennifer N. Baggerly, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, is a professor of counseling at University of North Texas at Dallas, a licensed professional counselor supervisor, and a registered play therapist supervisor who also provides counseling at Kaleidoscope Behavioral Health. She is a former chair of the board for the Association for Play Therapy. Dr. Baggerly has taught and provided counseling for children for more than 20 years. She is the coauthor of Counseling Families: Play-Based Treatment, Group Play Therapy: A Dynamic Approach and Child-Centered Play Therapy Research: The Evidence Base for Effective Practice .