~H.E.A.L. - Healthcare
Equine Assisted Learning~
Healthcare Equine Assisted Learning (HEAL)
trains medical students, and all other practitioners with direct patient care
responsibility to
develop awareness of the subtleties of self-presentation and communication that
are necessary for the provider-patient relationship and all other professional
encounters.
A major challenge for health science students in their clinical years and for
healthcare providers throughout their careers is to conduct relationships with
patients, colleagues, superiors, and employees in a manner that is
professional, sensitive, perceptive, confident, and authentic. Especially with
regard to patients, interactions must be characterized by compassion,
insight, and respect.
Horses are large, but because they are prey animals they are easily frightened.
Their
survival has depended on becoming extremely sensitive to body language, emotional tone, and to the position and movement of objects in
their sensory fields. Horses react to signals and intents of which we aren’t
even aware we have or know that we’re communicating outwardly. Horses train us to notice at all times the information that we
convey by touch, voice, and body language. Horses help us develop and refine our instinctual,
emotional, and sensory intelligence.
Enlisting help from the horses, medical professionals in the HEAL Program
can:
• Increase personal awareness
• Improved rapport with patients
• Recognize individual strengths
• Work with various individuals
• Help define appropriate personal space
• Learn to communicate effectively
• Acquire skills to build trust and respect |
• Recognize personality traits
• View effectiveness
• Enhanced bedside manner
• Problem solve and create action plans
• Develop relationship harmony
• Identify challenges
• Improve understanding of non-verbal messages |
Unlike most patients, horses will tell us when we have violated their boundaries
or
have not clearly set our own. They show us when they’re confused about our
instructions. They let us know when we have touched them too roughly or
inattentively. They show their appreciation for gentleness, honesty and
clarity of intent. Because horses react to the most subtle human signals, they
hold up a magnifying mirror to ourselves and our behaviors. In this mirror we
see the image and path for our professional development and our personal growth.
Although different in many ways, humans and horses have
much in common. Horses are social animals with defined roles within their herds.
Like humans, they have distinct personalities, attitudes, and moods. An approach that works
with one horse doesn’t necessarily work with another. We must win a horse’s
respect on his or her own terms before imposing our own.
At Equine ExperientialSM,
HEAL is taught in a one day program for healthcare professionals and as a
three-day series for students. Student sessions are held one month
apart to allow for clinical contacts between sessions and case presentations at
the second and third sessions. HEAL is especially relevant given new
requirements by the National Board of Medical Examiners. Our program is
based on the same principles and proven success of The Stanford Medicine &
Horsemanship program at Stanford University, California, developed by Beverley
Kane, MD and is now
part of the curriculum for Stanford Medical Students.
(see
what the
Stanford School of Medicine
has to say and view the Emmy Award winning
NBC-11
TV Coverage Of Medicine &
Horses)
Pricing for the HEAL program varies depending on the number of participants but
will be similar to the T.E.A.M. pricing. Please
remember, we are able to work around your budget!
(Call 352-399-8833 or email us for more information and
pricing)
All activities are done on the ground
and no horse experience is necessary.
Dress for the
weather in this beautiful Florida outdoor experience.
Please
contact us
today to schedule your session!
We are willing and able to work with ANY agenda you have!
