 Miriam*, a young woman fresh out of high school, found herself at a crossroads. After graduation, she had drifted, feeling unmotivated and disconnected. Her friends had moved on to college or jobs, but Miriam felt stuck, shadowed by depression and a deep uncertainty about what to do next. Her family and friends suggested different paths, but none of it resonated. She felt lost and isolated, not just from her future but from herself. When she arrived at STEPS With Horses for equine assisted counseling, Miriam was cautious. The idea of connecting with a horse felt intimidating, but she was open to trying something new. That’s when she met Echo, a beautiful mustang with a rich copper coat, her eyes both intense and deeply perceptive. Echo was unique—not just because she was the only formerly wild horse in the herd, but because she had a keen sensitivity to the people around her. She could sense when someone wasn’t fully in touch with themselves or was hiding how they really felt. For horses like Echo, this “incongruence”—or lack of internal harmony—was unsettling. In the wild, horses rely on each other’s openness to stay safe and feel at ease. If one horse’s body language doesn’t match their emotions, it could signal a threat or disturbance to the herd, so horses are instinctively uncomfortable around hidden emotions. For Miriam, this was new and unfamiliar territory. She often felt she needed to mask her true feelings to protect herself and avoid showing her vulnerability. But Echo didn’t respond well to this kind of masking. In the early days, when Miriam would try to interact with Echo while still holding back her emotions, Echo would grow uneasy, shifting restlessly, pawing the ground, or even walking away. It was as though Echo could see right through her, sensing that Miriam was putting up walls. During one session, Miriam stood next to Echo, attempting to hide her sadness and confusion behind a forced smile. Echo grew visibly agitated, her ears flicking, her body tense. The equine specialist acknowledged Echo’s discomfort and Miriam’s therapist asked her to look inward. Tentatively, Miriam allowed herself to relax her guarded posture and let her true emotions come to the surface. She whispered to Echo, “I don’t know what I’m doing. I feel so lost.” Echo immediately calmed, her head lowering as she stepped closer to Miriam. This time, the mustang seemed open and welcoming, her soft eyes looking into Miriam’s as though she understood. In that moment, Miriam realized the power of being honest with herself and how her emotional presence could shift the connection between her and the horse. Over the weeks that followed, Miriam continued her work with Echo, learning to notice and embrace her own emotions instead of burying them. She found that her connection with Echo was strongest when she allowed herself to be fully present and authentic. This connection sparked something in Miriam; she felt seen and accepted, even in her most vulnerable moments. For the first time, she understood that she didn’t have to carry her struggles alone, and that letting her guard down was a strength, not a weakness. As Miriam began to open up more with Echo, the therapist encouraged her to explore these feelings beyond the pasture, carrying this newfound self-acceptance into her daily life. She started to reconnect with friends, sharing more openly about her struggles, and even took small steps toward planning her future. She began to feel a sense of purpose and motivation again, inspired by the bond she shared with Echo and by her own journey to self-acceptance. Miriam’s story is one example of the impact equine assisted counseling can have on young people struggling to find their way. Horses like Echo provide a space for healing that is both powerful and unique, helping individuals to break down emotional barriers and rediscover a sense of purpose and self-acceptance. This work is made possible through the generosity of those who support STEPS With Horses, enabling us to offer life-changing experiences for clients like Miriam. Together, we’re helping to create moments of connection and growth that can ripple out into their lives and beyond. Impressed by Echo's work? Join Echo's Carrot Club! Interested in working with Echo as a client? Fill out our Counseling Interest Form *Client name and details changed to protect client privacy and identity
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November 2024
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