EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
An evidence-based therapy used in the mental health treatment of anxiety, depression, addiction, attachment disorders, eating disorders, PTSD, ADHD, OCD and to support behavioural and developmental disorders such as Autism.
Equine Therapy can be booked as individuals, family pairs or families of up to five members. Sessions last for 1 hour and are held weekly.
NO RIDING TAKES PLACE AND NO EXPERIENCE NOR INTEREST IN HORSES IS REQUIRED.
The horses provide a shortcut to our inner worlds, responding in the moment with absolute integrity, by mirroring our intention, energy and body language. They allow emotional and behavioural change to take place free from judgements and expectations.
Treatment programmes are typically shorter than other forms of intervention, with one session's benefits often compared to many months of conventional therapy.
Contact sessions are facilitated by a therapist, an equine specialist and a small herd of horses in an arena or field. The horses are free to respond without the use of ropes, halters or learnt commands enabling them to relate authentically. Unlike hippotherapy, they are not controlled or ridden during any part of treatment.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A SESSION?
"You will be in an open space with two therapists and number of horses who you can choose to interact with in whichever way feels natural, and at a distance of your choosing. The therapists are trained to help you gain insight, interpret and process what happens during the interaction. The horses will simply respond to how you are both in body and mind. If they sense emotional unrest or difficulty, they may mirror it. This all stems from their instinctive need for survival as animal's of prey. If someone is out of kilter, the safety of the entire herd is at stake. This means horses are incredibly sensitive to even the most subtle energetic states of others. The interaction with the horses shows the therapists what the barriers to recovery are which in turn helps the client draw out new ways of thinking and behaving in relation to the problem, without judgement or expectation." - Nina, Founder of Track Clinic
We adhere to a globally recognised model of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning (EAGALA.org) which is proven to bring about sustained emotional and behavioural change. In the therapeutic context, the model allows for deep subconscious needs to surface so that the root cause of the disorder or difficulty can be fully seen. From this place of clarity and self awareness new solutions and relief from symptoms can arise with ease, allowing for healing to take place.
Track Clinic Equine Assisted Psychotherapy sessions are facilitated, alongside a herd of experienced therapy horses, by an EAGALA Equine Specialist, and one of Track Clinic's Integrative Psychotherapists.
OUR HORSES
Chosen for their innate willingness to partner up with people, our horses have kind, curious natures unhampered by human imposed routine and conventional training. They have been met as individuals with a deep need to live naturally - in herds, in open spaces of varying terrain, free from the confinement of stables - and have built relationships with humans based on respect, not force. This gives them emotional stability and a heightened ability to read and react to the emotional energy of people.
OUR OFFER
THERAPY FOR CHILDREN
Equine assisted therapy is suitable for children with emerging and diagnosed mental health or developmental conditions. Weekly 1-hour sessions are booked in 6-week blocks allowing for progress reviews. Each session costs £250 including session planning, post session reviews and outcomes report following a block of 6 weekly sessions.
Track Clinic is an approved provider by Wiltshire and Somerset councils so if your child has an EHCP or EOTAS, funding is possible.
safeguarding policy
THERAPY FOR ADULTS
Equine assisted therapy is suitable for adults with emerging and diagnosed mental health or developmental conditions. We offer private 1-hour sessions in 6-week blocks, immersive full or half days, and flexible multi-week programmes to suit.
The costs range from £250 for individual weekly sessions to £750 for full-day Immersives.
THERAPY FOR FAMILIES
Equine assisted therapy can help families communicate, relate, and overcome challenges together through experiential sessions. Formats are customised to your needs and may include: 1-hour weekly sessions in 6 week blocks; sub-grouping family members, focusing on siblings, parent-child or whole family dynamics.
The cost is £350 per 1.5-hour horse therapy family session, for up to 5 family members.
THERAPY FOR GROUPS
We partner with schools, clinics, and nonprofits to provide equine facilitated psychotherapy in specialist groups. Tailored to your community's or organisation's needs, groups can be condition specific eg Autism, ADHD, Social Anxiety or experience specific eg Domestic Abuse, NEET, Looked After Children.
TESTIMONIALS
13 year old boy
with Autism and
Attachment difficulties
‘Recovery from full autistic burnout’ My son has been able to bring historic emotions that had been deeply suppressed to the surface and begin to process them. This has helped his recovery from full autistic burnout in a gentle, supportive and manageable way for him. It has also meant that he appears more able to address new emotional challenges sooner and not feel he has to internalise everything. My son is absolutely committed to his time with the herd! Even though he knows sometimes it will be emotional for him, he looks forward to this space every week. The gentle and supportive approach, which doesn't come with a set of requirements to follow rules, has been really beneficial for my son. He was so lost when the therapy started that he wouldn't have been able to engage with solution focussed/behaviour led approaches. Your welcoming, adaptive and understanding approach to supporting my son has been invaluable. We are deeply appreciative of your input and the impact it has had on him.
13 year old girl
with ASD and PTSD
'She developed in confidence and her general demeanour seemed more relaxed and jovial H suffered from extreme anxiety possibly as a result of early trauma. She took no part in life outside her room. All offers of help via CAMHS were declined. She struggles to make eye contact and build rapport with professionals. Since attending sessions H has appeared to have developed in confidence and her general demeanour seems to be more relaxed and jovial. H has been able to more fully communicate with us at home about how she is feeling, her past and about her likes and dislikes in relation to every day matters like food choices which helps us gain a better understanding of her. Surprisingly H needed no persuasion when CSC agreed the funding for The Track Clinic, and after the first session nerves has attended willingly. H has fed back that she enjoys coming and that she feels it has helped her deal with her anxiety.
7 year old boy
with ADHD and SPD
‘My son seems happier and more grounded. All of our family relationships grew stronger.” The time my son spent doing horse therapy was a really profound experience and fascinating journey. I also wasn’t expecting to gain as much from it as as I did as a mother. We decided to try equine therapy as my son who has ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder always seemed to mellow out when he was around horses. By just the second session I noticed a change - it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what but a subtle, almost subconscious build up of self-awareness comes from experiencing your impact on other beings. And the horses responded in a less predictable way than humans. Being recognised and greeted by the horses when we went back each week very touching and helped us think more about acceptance and herd dynamics. I was also able to let go of some worries as a mother. Overall my son seems happier, more grounded and conscious and I think all of our family relationships grew stronger as a result of it. A big thanks to the track clinic team and the wonderful souls we shared our experience with!"
15 year old boy
with Autism, Tourettes
and ADHD
‘It’s been brilliant. Really good for my anger management. The horses have a calming vibe about them. By spending time with them you can take on that vibe.' Father’s comments; ‘My son has benefited from the sessions greatly. Thank you Nina for making it possible for him. He is always calmer, more centred and cheerful after the sessions. He is doing really well and has improved at school since horse therapy with you.’
12 year old girl
with Social Anxiety
‘She seems more able to talk about her feelings..happy, chatty My daugher is making great progress. I still don’t fully under stand how these sessions work, but I know she gains a great deal from them and her progress is definitely linked to starting equine therapy. She seems just a little more able to talk about her feelings and getting in the car and being outside with the horses has built her confidence and helped her to continue being outside her room at home. We were all astounded by her new found ability to take trips out with the family. She seems very happy and chatty after her sessions and more engaged with her sisters. She still struggles and I know we have a long way to go but we’re making great progress.'
18 year old boy
with Anxiety and OCD
‘I found it extremely soothing…an effective tool in combatting anxiety’ ‘I wasn’t sure what to expect when I had my first session, but I found it to be extremely soothing and immediately recognised that it was going to be an effective tool in combatting anxiety. Upon reflection I can say that having the sessions has made me much more self-aware and allowed me to develop more confidence in dealing with worries and anxieties. The most valuable thing I have gotten from the sessions has been developing a mind-body harmony that has allowed me to live more in the present, which has put me in a significantly better position to handle anxiety or any difficult situation.“ Father: Dear Nina, I want to thank you and your team at Track Clinic for working with B at a time when he was in real need of help. His anxiety and OCD, manifesting itself in intrusive thoughts, was dominating his life in a very negative way. It was an extremely worrying time for him and for my wife and me. The impact that Track Clinic had over the months when my son attended coaching sessions was remarkable. In the short-term you helped him to recover his mental health and happiness allowing him to make the most of his final year at school. Beyond that, the sessions have had a lasting impact and seem to have provided him with a resilience and a toolkit to help him manage his anxieties. I am just grateful that Track Clinic was recommended to us. I do hope that B will be able to drop in to say thank you to you and your team (and the horses!) sometime soon.
Eva May Pearson
Radio presenter
& Enterpreneur
'These incredible animals were able to tune into the unmet need of my 4 year old self' If I can explain my trauma as unhealed suffering stemming from being a very young child. My trauma had no narrative as it went on unseen. The adults who were my care givers were tricked, and my suffering could not be addressed. At the same age, 4, I had an accident at a swimming pool when I cracked my head open on the tiled side. All the adults involved acted as care givers; my parents, pool staff and the doctor who stitched the wound. Being groomed and abused from the same age; 4 and lasting for many years, my suffering caused by adults who tricked my family, my suffering went unnoticed. There was no narrative. And my brain acted in the only way it could to survive; it took out of my body into a Dissociative state. My interaction with the herd has done so much towards healing the unhealed suffering. During both my visits I experienced safety and comfort, which I didn't get as a young child. For decades the pain of my abuse has lived inside me as a terrifying pain. In holding and being held by the herd gave me something that has been missing for most of my life. These incredible animals were able to tune into this unmet and unseen need of my 4 year old self. The healing has now begun. My inner child has had their pain and suffering acknowledged by therapists who eat hay and don't read referral forms. Honestly Nina, I don't know how to put all this into words...it goes much deeper than words.
Aleksandra Filipovic
Head of Oncology
'The horses adopt roles of people in your life and play out scenarios right in front of you My love of horses and incredible gifts they bring to us humans, as well as my intuition, is what lead me to Nina and the Track Clinic. I signed up for a full immersion weekend and the experience I have had is nothing short of a miracle. You do not have to be an equine aficionado to choose this for yourself because the horses will show you what to do, or rather how to be. And that is all that is asked of you... to be, just be with them and witness the miracle unfold. I felt called to experience equine assisted thearpy as a part of my healing journey, to which I am committed and through which I have become more myself than ever before. My core issues were to work on family dynamics, especially with my parents (I am now 42 years old; in chronological age😊) and embodying the knowing that I am worthy of receiving. Here is what those three incredible creatures at the Track clinic gifted me with: 1 - they gave me experiences I never got to have, such as allowing me to have space, respecting my boundaries without leaving me; 2 - mirroring my internal shifts in bodily and emotional and thought processed, with the change of their posture, movement or energy (they will always let you know when you have 'shifted' something within and they do so everso garcefully), and finally - they adopt full on roles of people in the dynamics you are working on and they play out scenarios right infront of you. I am forever more myself thanks to this experience and I continue to experience, deepen and embody the gifts the horses, Nina and Jess gifted me. I will be going back yearly now to keep reconnecting to this beautiful field and the intuition that comes. Thank you Nina and Jess and thank you to your herd for their service to humanity and its healing. Love, Aleks
Rosie Von Spreckelsen
Mother
‘I have gained incredibly moving and valuable insights into my personal life and relations By attending sessions at Track Clinic, I have gained incredibly moving and valuable insights into my personal life and relational dynamics. It is a very safely and skilfully held space. As a result of my sessions, my faith in the wisdom of non-verbal communication, body language and the depth of wild natural wisdom has really been reinforced. My understanding of boundaries has been brought into sharp focus and I have been shown the simple truth of my emotional needs and the needs of others. You just have to try it. Enter with sincerity, curiosity and humility and Nina and the herd will do the rest.
Michelle Hawkins
Gerontologist &
Social Enterpreneur
'We walked away more tolerant, compassionate towards each other and ourselves I felt a deep sense of calm. Being with the horses brought us out of our heads and into our bodies. Witnessing their interactions with us as a herd acted as an effective medium through which to explore dynamics in our relationships. We walked away more tolerant and compassionate towards each other and ourselves. We also see horses with renewed respect and wonder for their gifts. We really appreciated simply being with the horses and feeling their energy. Simply put, Equine assisted coaching is simply being with the horses, experiencing how they make you feel and being guided by Nina to make sense of herd behaviour and what this could be illustrating at a more subconscious or emotional level.
Rebecca Brewin
Teacher and Writer
‘Unlike talking therapy..it went deep beyond words, stayed with me and catalysed change I received deep insights into some experiences I've been struggling with. Unlike talking therapy I felt it went deep beyond words and has stayed with me, catalysing change. I really appreciated being quietly with the horses and having the space to really listen to what is going on. The holding of the session really helped with this process. I came with a particular question and it helped me to see it and respond to it in a new way. I was totally surprised at how accurate the information was in what I needed to see and understand. I’d describe it as a gentle and subtle healing therapy that gets straight to the heart of things you are carrying and, more than that, of unresolved trauma. The key seems to be open-heartedness to listen and accept that what is being shown is what you need to hear.
Daisy Weir
Student
'I learnt more about myself in one session than I ever have in any type of conventional therapy It felt quite a daunting thing to come in to, even though I’ve held horses in such high regard for most of my life; but to be in an environment that encourages just ‘being’ was still quite alien to me. I’ve been enjoying the little ‘bubble’ in my tummy I’ve felt ever since, and it has given me a sense of calm and quiet that I haven’t felt for a long long time! It made me feel more sure of myself and gave me a sense of confidence in my decisions. It was such a privilege to watch the herd at work, and to experience the ‘power of being present’ while exploring how to react to a moment, in that moment. It was extraordinary how quickly the herd were able to cut through the ‘everyday-ness’ of how humans function, and guide me to what I really needed - which I couldn’t have told you prior to going! I am now trying to carry that feeling of calm with me every day as it brings me great comfort. Having confidence in myself and my decisions is something I still need to work on, but I feel a greater sense of support - and this has helped eradicate a lot of feelings of doubt. It’s a unique way of learning about yourself. The way in which the process completely strips back interactions to their bare bones is quite overwhelming at times, but incredibly useful and enlightening. I feel I learnt more about myself in my first session with Nina and the herd, than I ever have in any other type of ‘conventional’ therapy. The only thing I’d say is it doesn’t matter what headspace you have when you arrive, the horses will find what you need and make it clear. All the normal human attributes of overthinking and worrying what others may think or doubting yourself serve no purpose with horses - so they are quickly forgotten. It feels like the horses are able to look directly into your soul and instinctively know what you need - it’s then our job to take that on and fit it into our way of being.
All testimonials are published with written consent. Images of minors are fictitious for privacy purposes.
THE TEAM
Track Clinic Equine Assisted Psychotherapy sessions are conducted in a field alongside a herd of therapy horses who are free to respond instinctively. Sessions are co-facilitated by a certified Equine Specialist and a Mental Health Practitioner.
NINA LEIJERSTAM
Founder of Track Clinic, Equine Coach
Nina is a certified EAGALA practitioner, the global standard in equine assisted psychotherapy and learning. She has studied with Master Somatic Coach, Ariana Strozzi, and is an Equine Behaviourist accredited by the Natural Animal Centre.
JESS WARD
Integrative Psychotherapist
Jess is fully accredited as a registered member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy and of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has worked in public and private practice since 2012 and has extensive experiential experience.
JUSTINE MCCARTHY
Integrative Psychotherapist
Justine has been working as a psychotherapist for over 15 years. She brings experience of working with adults and young people, in private practice and schools. She has an MA in Integrative Psychotherapy, a Diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling in Schools.
LAURA KIRKPATRICK
Equine Specialist
Laura is a certified EAGALA practitioner, the global standard in equine assisted psychotherapy and learning. She works alongside our team of therapists in co-facilitating individual and paired therapy sessions.
LISA SCHOLEFIELD
Counsellor & Equine Specialist
Lisa is an experienced BACP registered Counsellor working with adults, children and young people in private practice and schools. She has an Advanced Diploma in Integrative counselling & Post Grad diploma in psychodynamic counselling. Lisa has also undertaken EAGALA training.