The Grace To Be…and the Space To Become…
Grace and Space are the heart and intent of the approach we follow and teach at Healing Hooves in Alberta, Canada. Grounded in attachment theory, and working with our equine partners as sentient beings, our aim is to extend these two key invitations to our clients and students; to help them find the safety and rest they need to heal, learn and grow. Rather than offering our own certification we support the model and values of the Canadian certification body, EFW Canada. Over the past decade EFW-Canada has created consistent standards and requirements to provide safety and accountability for all, with flexibility and space to allow for individuality and creativity. We hope to share a little of this Grace and Space, as well as the EFW Can parameters, with you during this conference!
Sue McIntosh founded Healing Hooves, an Equine Facilitated Wellness program in Alberta Canada, twenty years ago. Sue is a certified Canadian counsellor with an MA in counselling and additional training and certification in attachment, trauma therapy, animal assisted therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy. She is a certified practitioner and consultant with the Neufeld Institute and a certified equine coach and trainer. Sue specializes in working with families, including adopted and foster children, and with individuals who have experienced trauma. She finds that many children, and adults, who are unable to engage in more traditional approaches, are more able to find and receive some ‘grace and space’ once horses are included in the therapy environment and relationship. Sue works with clients from an attachment framework and foundation which is grounded in the work of Dr. Gordon Neufeld, a Canadian developmental psychologist, author and educator. This is an insight-based approach which seeks to understand and address the underlying causes of struggles a client may be experiencing, rather than to simply address presenting problem behaviours and symptoms. Sue has a passion for training and supporting other professionals developing careers and programs in the Equine Facilitated Wellness fields and is a certified trainer, mentor and practitioner with EFW Canada – the national certification body for EFW in Canada. She facilitates five to eight training workshops each year as a part of the Healing Hooves program.
Free resources for parents, educators, mental health professionals and anyone interested in the human horse bond, including free downloads of some of our stories, can be found here.
