Can spending time with a horse help release some of the core issues associated with eating disorders? Some experts, like Gina Kolata, author of “Rethinking Thin,” believe so. Equine therapy has been used successfully for substance abuse addictions, and may soon enter the field of eating disorder treatments with a strong presence. Because people with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder have learned to use food to escape from or avoid negative emotions, equine therapy may be successful because it helps restore their ability to connect to emotions. As an eating disorder progresses, the patient may lose the ability to even decipher that they are causing themselves dangerous, sometimes deadly, harm. Working with horses may help reconnect the patient to their emotional sensations and open channels to feelings that have been submerged, says a PsychCentral report. Horses may be able to help a patient with an eating disorder experience and understand feelings like fear and avoidance, and then later, to relearn trust. Equine therapy is also presented in what many consider a non-intimidating environment and may seem more truthful to some patients than other forms of treatment. Typical equine therapy involves a patient learning to groom, feed, train and care for the animal in a cooperative environment. Through the process, it is believed that patients with addictions or eating disorders can experience an atmosphere of non-judgment, because the animals are incapable of responding to factors like a person’s behaviors or their physical stature. As the animal accepts the patient without these conditions, the patient may begin to see themselves as worthy of their own acceptance – translating into new confidence and new hope, along with new patterns of eating. Category: Articles>Eating DisordersBy The Ranch TNApril 25, 2011Tags: equine therapyPost navigationPreviousPrevious post:Keep a Safe Distance From Former Substance-Abusing FriendsNextNext post:Cybersex Addiction Is ComplexRelated postsWhen an Eating Disorder Takes Over Your LifeJuly 11, 2020Bulimia and Anorexia Alter Women’s Decision-Making ProcessesJuly 10, 2020Alcoholism and Eating DisordersMay 20, 2020Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Dual DiagnosisFebruary 28, 2020Connection Between Abuse, Trauma, and Eating DisordersFebruary 24, 2020Key Factors That Lead to Compulsive Eating DisordersMarch 30, 2017