Black Horse Therapies

Nature of clinic

Ongoing management

Specific health professionals at the clinic

Health professionals Other:

Where referrals are accepted from?

Child protection services
Education Departments
Families
General Practitioners
Justice Departments
Other medical specialists
Paediatricians
Psychologists

How the clinic bills

Fee - advised when person contacts the clinic
Service or Practice

Ages that the clinic provides services for

12 - 18 years
5 - 11 years

FASD experience and training

Elizabeth is an Equine Assisted and Narrative Therapy (NDIS Registered Practitioner). She was involved with clients with a diagnosis of FASD attending Equine Assisted Therapy sessions whilst on placement for a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy and part of this course, she completed a 3,000-word case study based on one of these clients. The case study included theoretical understandings and diagnosis and involved study of Bower and Elliott's report "Australian Guide to the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder” and McLean, McDougall and Russell's, "Supporting Children Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder".
She is finding that the sessions with the horses are sometimes the only form of therapy which young people with FASD will engage in. They feel comfortable and under no pressure to communicate verbally. They often seem relaxed and happy during their sessions with the horses. An example of this was when she was conducting combined sessions for two teenage participants, one with FASD, who had the goal of making a friend. The two of them work together with a horse and practiced social skills. They were very committed to these sessions and motivated to attend.