There are many challenges when living with or caring for someone with ADHD. The impulsivity and lack of focus is an issue across environments. Parents, teachers and other caregivers do their best but the child/teen struggles and can end up feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and many times, sad and so different than others. Self-confidence and self-esteem can suffer.
This wonderful article in ADDitude Inside the ADHD Mind, talks about the emotional struggle that those living with ADHD face. It is all to easy to forget that when a child/teen feels that they are not able to do better, they probably won’t do better, and the long-term damage done can be devastating.
The article focuses on how work with horses, through Equine Assisted Therapy, can make a difference, especially when it comes to learning relationship skills, “… horses have a lot to teach us about relationships…”
In our work with horses, our clients learn about horse & herd behavior – why horses do what they do. They are prey animals and very clearly respond to our actions and energy. People who have experienced trauma often experience ‘… intense dysregulation of the central nervous system.
This often presents as hypervigilance—constantly scanning the environment for the next threat…’ Horses can sense this and become worried if our energy is too high, so our clients learn and practice self-calming/self-soothing skills that help them manage their energy while working with their horse and ultimately in other areas as well.
From mindfulness, to building confidence, through work with horses, our clients experience a unique type of growth and learning. There are many things about working with horses that can help those who have experienced trauma learn the skills they need to find a path to health and healing.
If you are living with someone struggling with ADHD, PTSD or another trauma response, we are here to help. We can be a powerful part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Call or email us and we will schedule a time for you to visit the ranch. We will show you around, introduce our wonderful horses, learn more about what you are dealing with, and share how we may be able to help.