Equine-Assisted Expressive Arts Therapy Level One Certificate training comprises 20 hours of therapeutic horsemanship and experiential learning through an established 6-unit curriculum and corresponding expressive arts exercises (Sykes & Warson, 2021) and principles of psychotherapy and counseling. Attendees will receive a copy of the equine-assisted expressive arts therapy curriculum on site. This training is limited to 10 eligible participants will be held at Legacy Stables https://www.legacystables.com/index.html in Fort Collins, Colorado.
PLEASE NOTE: This training is by application only. If you are accepted, you will receive a link to a separate course site where you can pay the registration fee of $599 and access course materials and additional information.
Participants in this Certificate Course are also required to enroll in the Nature-Based Expressive Arts Therapy Live Webinar Series [dates to be announced] You can register for that webinar series on this Learning Center Site under "Courses."
The equine experiential learning curriculum entails:
1. Predator vs. Prey: Size/body language, vocabulary, humbleness, position in the world, and brain functioning
2. Dependency / Yours/ Theirs: Expectations of roles and importance of self vs. others
3. Work Together / Non-aggressive: How-when to move to control
4. Mean It / Don't Be Mean / Set Limits: Healthy limits, safety vs. need vs. want
5. Fear / We All Have It: Using the neocortex to make choices
6. Bring It Together / Control: Round pen/line work to demonstrate
The expressive arts component will be woven into curriculum combining bilateral gestures and art making; visual journaling exercises; fiber arts, nature art; sound, music; breath; and storytelling (lesson plans provided as part of the curriculum).
The Facilitators: Elizabeth Warson and Dawn Sykes have been collaborators since 2016 as therapeutic riding instructors for Colorado Division of Youth Corrections, Crime Victim Compensation, individual/family clients, and school-based groups. Both facilitators have a lifetime of work with horses and share a passion for fabric/fiber arts.
Dawn Sykes is the owner and operator of Legacy Stables (1996-present), an equine boarding and training facility. Dawn has bred and trained Morgan horses, showed English Pleasure and English Driving. As a certified and licensed teacher (1986-2021), Dawn was a facilitator for the Discovery program (national school-based model), trained in William Glasser’s Choice Theory, and developed an equine science/therapeutic riding program for the Poudre School District. Dawn’s fabric arts have been exhibited in national and international competitions.