"I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found , was really going in." John Muir A few years ago while studying to be an Art Therapist I worked as a youth worker with teenage boys in care, the toughest gig of my life, and there have been a few! A couple of times a year, in school holidays they were taken away to the beach, or camping for a weekend. When it came to my turn to take them it was to a farmstay weekend, out in th

When I first saw Banjo out in the back paddock he was with around 25 Standardbred ex racing horses that have been put out there to live out their days in retirement. There was something about this boy, for a start he looked too young to be retired, but he had such a lovely kind eye and I sensed that he was a horse that got on well with the others, there was a peacefulness about him that drew me to him. So I went up to him one day, no problems, he let me touch him and he was c

We have some busy days at Storm's Sanctuary, when we are not holding Equine Assisted Therapy sessions work goes on behind the scenes, grooming, feeds mixed, hay delivered to paddocks, hooves have to be trimmed, teeth filed, chiropractor visits, vaccinations given, paddocks cleaned, horses trained. All this ensures that the horses that you work with in your sessions are happy and healthy. Little Ziggy our pony has to be on a special low sugar diet as he is prone to laminitis,

Play is an important part of the therapeutic process, there is much evidence to show that play can create new neural pathways at any age. In Equine Assisted Therapy with children important learning can come from a seemingly innocent and playful session with the equine partner, but there are lessons about behaviours, relationships and emotions that the Equine Assisted Mental Health professional can address during the process. Our horses, in particular our boys Ziggy and Alfie,

We have all read posts and blogs about how our thoughts direct our life, negative thoughts will lead us into a downward spiral and positive will lead us into a rosy future where all is wonderful. The reality is that is this were true we would all be living in Utopia. Life will constantly challenge us, test us and check in with us. Is this really your path? What is your motivation? How much do you want this? We will often come to forks in the road, or crossroads and be unsure

Our after school programs for next term start up the week after the Easter holidays. High school workshops have moved to Thursday afternoons and primary school age are now Friday afternoons. Parents ask me which children will benefit from these programs and how. Equine assisted therapy is an experiential therapy that involves interactions between clients and horses. Our program involves activities such as grooming, feeding, haltering and leading a horse and are supervised by

Young Albi was born on August 1st the horses birthday. His mother Ruby was rescued in foal by a friend of Storm's Sanctuary Bec, she saw a tear roll down Ruby's face and couldn't possibly leave her there. She now keeps both of them at Storm's Sanctuary at Tamborine. Albi is a big personality, very mature for his age, and already very interested in the 'girls' in the surrounding paddocks. So, the vet is booked for gelding, and now he has to be halter trained, and able to be ha

Going back to a new school year can be daunting for some students, new teachers, new class groups, some children cope better with change than others. Equilibrium Therapies runs two after school groups that can help with the transition and any anxiety and stress that has arisen. Both groups include a blend of Arts Therapies and Equine Assisted Therapy. Teen group is Wednesday afternoons. Our teenage sessions can make a real difference to teens searching for themselves amid the

This modality is still relatively in its infancy in Australia, although in the US, Canada and UK it has been a well accepted, researched and documented form of therapy for many years. It has two sub categories, Equine Assisted Mental Health and Equine Assisted Learning. At Equilibrium Therapies my focus is on Equine Assisted Mental Health, although of course new learning will happen through the therapeutic process. This is a healing treatment that combines credentialed mental

Equilibrium Therapies in collaboration with Storm’s Sanctuary is excited to announce a series of children’s workshops for the Christmas holidays. The 3 hour workshops for 7-11 year olds incorporate meditation/relaxation, art making, music, yoga and story telling along with hands on experience of grooming, feeding and leading a pony. With different activities daily these mornings are guaranteed to entertain and delight your child. The workshops run from 9.30am to 12.30, the

We discovered today that Ziggy loves being pampered and decorated with ribbons and bows. He patiently stood while he was brushed and his mane combed and styled. Bear the dog wasn't forgotten either, he loves to hang out with horses and people, and felt pretty cool wearing these shades after he was brushed. Children's sessions may include art making, drumming, singing, movement and of course some pony and puppy pampering. Issues that can be addressed during these sessions incl

Saturday saw the first EAP session for the herd at Storm's Sanctuary. For the month of November I am offering sessions free of charge while the horses get used to their new roles and working together, and with me. Any nerves I had were calmed immediately the session started as I realised that the horses know exactly what to do, they just follow their intuition, just as we should! I integrate the creative arts into sessions when necessary, they are such a perfect fit with this