Autism

Equine Human Mindfulness offers safe, strength-focused and nature-based opportunities for children and young people with Autism.

Autistic children often find it challenging to navigate peer relationships, as understanding human emotions and behaviours can be confusing. Additionally, managing their own emotions can be difficult. However, spending time with horses and other animals can provide a valuable and supportive learning experience, helping children develop their social skills and enhance their emotional intelligence. This can equip them with the ability to interact better with their friends and family members, leading to more meaningful and less complicated relationships.

When you work with horses or ponies in the therapeutic space, you get to build a special kind of friendship and emotional support. It’s super safe and you can discover your strengths while having fun with these amazing animals. The cool thing is, the skills you learn with the horses can totally help you connect better with humans too.

  • Creating a playful space
  • Movement
  • Sensory experiences
  • Experiential learning
  • The language of play
  • Spending time outside with animals
  • Invitational
  • Safety

The benefits of working outside, in nature and with horses and animals

There are many benefits to this:

  • The Therapeutic/Learning Environment
  • Natural ability to relate to animals
  • Engaging the child’s special interest
  • Access to a variety of sensory experiences
  • The “safe: relational experience
  • Regulation of the nervous system
  • Increasing body awareness and non-verbal communication skills

It also provides opportunities to develop skills often lacking in Autistic children 

  • Language skills
  • Motor skills
  • Social skills 
  • Opportunity to practice these skills in an experimental way

And it's fun!

Building Strengths

Relationship skills

Theory of Mind (ToM) Skills

The ability to recognise and understand thoughts, beliefs, desires and intentions of other people in order to make sense of their behaviour and predict what they are going to do next.

Impaired ToM skills impacts relationships : 

  • Difficulties in reading the social /emotional messages in someones eyes
  • Missing the importance of tone in people’s voice 
  • Making literal interpretations 
  • Missing social cues

Affective Education

Reading facial expressions

Working with Horses / Ponies

  • Presence
  • Calm
  • Learning to read facial expressions and body language and responding 
  • Awareness of self and other 
  • Authentic responses/feedback

Self Awareness

Interoception :

Awareness of body sensation.

“Life will feel safer if I know what’s happening in my body” 

Alexythymia

  • Diminished vocabulary of emotions
  • Difficulties distinguishing between more complex emotions
  • Difficulty identifying emotions = difficulties regulating them

Working with Horses / Ponies

  • Practice with noticing and naming the feelings of other
  • Creative self expression
  • Open and genuine curiosity 
  • Bridging skills to self 

“Horses can see the real you.
Being seen is incredibly healing”

Regulation of emotions

Movement

Discharge the nervous system

Sessions outside, in nature – movement of body for down regulation

Incorporating rhythmic repetitive movements

Focus on moving the body and put the mind at ease

Mindfulness

Intentional awareness of thoughts, feelings and body sensations – non-judgemental and welcoming

Multiple thoughts all at once can lead to stress and overload

Top down regulation

Working with horses Mind-Body practices: 

Present moment awareness

Improving attention

Practicing relaxation strategies : 

– Guided breathing 

– Progressive muscle relaxation

– Grounding exercises

Equine Human Mindfulness emo

Integrating skills across settings

Time – repetition, experiential 

Humans are animals too 

Improvements in self confidence 

Eye contact  

Practicing skills from “Rest and divest” 

Engaging the sensory system 

Relationships

These sessions do not require any prior horse experience, they do not cover horse training or riding, however there are lots of activities with our horses/ ponies where we observe, interact, groom and lead with them. 

Safety guidelines are provided at the beginning of sessions and supervision is provided at all times.

Sessions :

Sessions can be individual or in groups of up to 6

Duration of individual sessions are:

1 hour   $160 

Package of 5 sessions   $700

Duration of group sessions 1.5 – 2 hours      POA

There is flexibility on duration of sessions depending on participants needs and group size.

 

School holiday programs

These can be arranged. If you are interested in a school holiday program please get in contact. I am only too happy to discuss a plan that suits.

 

Wet Weather : We have sheltered areas where we can proceed in most circumstances. 24 hours notice will be provided if a session needs to be rescheduled.

If you would like anymore information or any questions answered please contact us either by ph 0418 493 516 or email info@equinehumanmindfulness.com.au