Postgraduate Equivalent Training in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy

PACFA Accredited – Specialist Accredited Training – Equivalent AQF Level 8

What is PACFA

The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia is a leading national peak body and professional association for counsellors and psychotherapists in Australia. Their mission is to represent the profession to communities and government, and to develop the evidence-base for counselling and psychotherapy.

PACFA promotes the development and practice of counselling and psychotherapy and respects and supports the diversity of approaches within the field. PACFA provides a united forum for practitioners and for counselling and psychotherapy associations, to foster professional identity, support training and research, and ensure public accountability.

PACFA provides self-regulation functions for the counselling and psychotherapy profession. Practicing members of PACFA and of PACFA Member Associations are listed on PACFA’s National Register. PACFA Registrants have demonstrated an approved level of training, experience and competence and comply with PACFA’s ethical standards. The Register is accessible via the PACFA website to members of the public looking for a counsellor or psychotherapist and to other professionals wishing to make referrals.

Find more on the PACFA Website.

Overview

Our Postgraduate Equivalent Training in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a postgraduate level equivalent training (AQF Level 8) and is designed specifically for professionals interested in incorporating horses into their psychotherapy, counselling, psychology, social work and/or mental health practice. The EPI model is different to other EAP models as it is a trauma-informed psychotherapy model, with its own theory and practice methodology.

The course offers a balance of theoretical and experiential learning, using lectures, discussion, experiential and group processes, case presentations, supervision, reflection and personal and professional development practices.

Entry Requirements & Admission Criteria

You are eligible to apply for our EAP Training if you are a qualified allied health care professional and have current registration as a Counsellor (eg. With ACA), Psychotherapist (eg. With PACFA), Psychologist (member of AHPRA), Social Worker (member of AASW), Mental Health Occupational Therapist or Credentialed Mental Health Nurse (with demonstrated, current registration with relevant professional governing body).

Candidates for this PACFA Accredited Specialist Training must meet admission requirements outlined in the Standards for VET Accredited Courses course application requirements and 2018 PACFA Training Standards. These state that students entering an accredited course of study need to demonstrate self-awareness, a relational capacity, ethical behaviour and an ability to reflect on and learn from experience and feedback.

Prospective applicants can visit our Training Calendar to locate a suitable in Person EAP Foundation Training for them.

Prospective applicants then email EPI direct to request an Application Form (admin@equinepsychotherapy.net.au). If the applicant is unsure whether they meet the prerequisites for course entry, please contact the email address above or call the Institute on 0437 882 600.

After applications have been received and reviewed, the Head of Training will meet with each applicant in order to discuss their application for the training. This will usually be in the form of an interview by phone or zoom. Once the application and interview processes are complete the Training Committee will make its final decision. The Training Committee exercises discretion regarding admission. As places available on the course are limited, the accepted applicant’s place is only secured once they make their first instalment payment of fees.

The Equine Psychotherapy Institute is guided during the selection process by the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of class, gender, religious beliefs or cultural background. We do not wish to prevent a student with a physical disability undertaking the training as long as the disability does not directly interfere with their capacity to meet the requirements of the training program or our capacity to respond to the student’s needs.

We do require that students have an adequate command of English. It is not essential, that students have previous experience in psychotherapy.

How is the Training Delivered?

The Training is delivered over 4 Intensives of 5 Days duration (20 days total).

• Intensive 1 – Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Theory & Practice 1
• Intensive 2 – Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Theory & Practice 2
• Intensive 3 – Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Theory & Practice 3
• Intensive 4 – Trauma-informed Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
• Online Equine Studies Course

Intensives are 5 days in duration and run from 9am – 5pm on specified weeks throughout the year. Each Intensive will be taught by experienced psychotherapists and mental health practitioners from different fields, training in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (i.e. mental health social work, psychology, psychotherapy and counselling). This is hoped to give the students a broad and diverse experience, with consistency of theory and practice. Each Intensive will have a particular theoretical and practical focus and will be supported by required readings.

20 Days Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Training (4 Intensives) cover the following Subject Areas, as further described in the EPI Subject Guideline –

• Experiential and Relational Psychotherapy Theory and Practice
  Overview of EPI Model Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
• Horses in the EPI Model – Horses Contribution to Client Change, Equine Studies, Horsemanship, Horse Safety and Welfare
• Therapeutic Experiments – Creative Processes with Clients and Horses
  Neuroscience and Trauma-informed Equine Assisted Psychotherapy practice
• Ethics, Ethical Practice and Business Planning

2024 Training Fees

Investment: $6,000 plus GST – 3 Foundation Intensives ($6,600 inc GST) + $1,800 plus GST – Trauma Intensive ($1,980 inc GST)

Virtual Equine Studies Program to be completed within 3 months of Foundation Training completion (this is available pro bono to all students undertaking the Postgraduate Specialist Training in EAP)

8 x Study Pods – Clinical Supervision – $80 per session plus GST

2 x Phone/Zoom Mentoring Sessions – 2 Sessions – Sessions are $150 per session (invoiced and paid at time of session)

Plus cost of personal Equine Assisted Psychotherapy / congruent psychotherapy sessions

Fees are payable when a participant has received a confirmation of acceptance of enrolment. The initial deposit fee in non-refundable. Fees paid are non-refundable. Students can contact the Institute regarding any unforeseeable accidents or emergencies that require the student withdraws from training. The Institute may discontinue training, if fees are unpaid or not paid in accordance with the agreed fee schedule and timing.

Supervision & Client Contact

A minimum of 15 hours of face-to-face (client contact) psychotherapy practice in the specialist modality of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, must be completed during training. Details of the client work must be included in a professional log which the student maintains and presents at appropriate times during the course as evidence of competence to practice in the specialist modality. (Client confidentiality must be maintained in the log).

Students will undertake this clinical work and supervision at own cost, within 12 months, including have a supervision contract with EPI supervisor and submit log books. The EPI supervisor is required to report the supervisee’s clinical competence with a log of date, signature, and skills and competence achieved (or reflection areas) in supervision session. Students are encouraged to choose a Clinical Supervisor who is not their Trainer. Supervisors will provide online or phone supervision.

A sample logbook will be provided to students.

Assessment

Evaluation of student progress is ongoing and includes the completion of course work and participation in the intensives and learning subject areas. Trainers give constructive and timely feedback to students for continued development, engagement and to keep them on track. Students are also invited to evaluate the course in an ongoing way and given an evaluation / feedback form to provide written feedback at the end of each intensive.

The Equine Psychotherapy Institute Training Committee may instruct the student as to their readiness to progress to the next stage of the training, or in very rare situations deemed not suitable for the training. In a situation where the students’ work is not of a sufficient standard, students will have an opportunity to re-submit, and will be offered further support and mentoring, and from there will be assessed on a case by case basis.

A formal certificate will be issued to trainees at the successful completion of training.

Aims

• Apply theory and practice of the EPI EAP Model
• Understand and apply the EPI EAP Model’s relational, experiential and experimental approach
• Understand ethical issues and professional standards of practice, including safe practice with horses and clients
• Develop basic competencies in – preparation and planning, establishing an I-Thou therapeutic relationship, assessment, utilising a Trauma-informed approach, developing client awareness and supporting healthy contact, designing, co-creating and grading appropriate equine experiments, and working with integration and closure.
• Understand the EPI Model’s Theory and Change – understanding and articulating how therapeutic change happens.
• Further Develop assessment, Phenomenological processing and Closure skills.
• Understand and apply therapist-self-awareness and self as practitioner in the EAP process
• Identify practitioner limitations, underdevelopment areas and be committed to personal and professional growth, via supervision, personal therapy, and ongoing, continuing professional development.
• Understand equine behaviour and equine training principles, appreciate the relational dynamics that horses bring to the therapeutic / learning process.
• Demonstrate safe horse handling
• Learn about I-Thou relating with horses, consent and ethical considerations, and understand how the relationship between practitioners and their horses impact client safety and efficacy of EAP.
• Develop core competencies in horse handling based on an I-Thou approach with horses.