behavioral health

Surround Yourself in Kindness

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors and tagged behavioral health equine assisted healing herd kindness may is mental health month mental health on by

There have been many studies on what causes humans to feel bad and why it is that people go to see mental health professionals. We have a mountain of research about depression, anxiety, trauma, addictions and too many other mental health “disorders” to count. And because of this, we also have hundreds of drug remedies that have been developed, manufactured, and prescribed for what ails us, making it oh so simple to medicate ourselves to mental health. It’s only been in the past 10 years or so, however, that research has focused upon the things that we do for the good of others (which ultimately comes back to ourselves) in our communities and how those acts benefit our sense of well-being. LEAD with Horses understands that medications have their place in the treatment of many Mental Health disorders and takes the position that the decision whether or not to take medications as prescribed is made between you and your doctor.

Having said this, we would like to share a few things that we know about some holistic ways to achieve a greater sense of wholeness and well-being. First up: Kindness. Did you know that simple gestures of kindness, whether random or on purpose, has a positive relationship with overall well-being and better health? Have you ever picked up the tab in a restaurant for a veteran or someone in the military? Have you ever paid someone you did not know a compliment? Hold the door for the person behind you? Volunteer for your favorite charity? How do these acts of kindness affect your sense about yourself as a person?

Research continues to demonstrate that acts of Kindness have been shown to increase self- esteem, empathy, and compassion, and to improve mood. Habitual acts of Kindness can decrease blood pressure and stress hormones, the ones that directly impact stress levels. People who give of themselves in a balanced way also tend to be healthier and live longer. Kindness can increase your sense of connectedness with others, which can directly minimize loneliness, improve mood, and enhance relationships in general. It also can be contagious! Looking for ways to show kindness can give you a focus activity, especially if you tend to be anxious or stressed in some social situations.

Every day as we observe our Healing Herd, we notice the subtle and not so subtle ways the horses show kindness to one another, by instinct, and without an agenda or desire for a return on their good will.

At the LEAD with Horses after school program, the children learn about being kind in their classes and they apply what they have learned outdoors among the horses. This is such a perfect set-up because horses are unique in their ability to hold space in kindness and to reflect their responses. Sometimes they will blow out when kids show their kindness, or they will walk right up to a kid and follow around without being coaxed by a treat. A study conducted in 2010 showed that horses remembered how an individual human behaved towards them based on just one interaction, even as long as eight months later, and behaved better with handlers who used positive handling techniques, such as stroking or speaking in a soft voice.

We invite you to pay us a visit to see our set-up and meet our Healing Herd and learn how you and your family can benefit from learning through horses.

For more information about kindness and mental health, a few links to help.

How Horses Show Kindness
https://www.thebrooke.org/about-us/horses-and-affection

Across the Pond
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/kindness#:~:text=In%202020%2C%20we%20found%20that,impact%20on%20their%20mental%20health

From the American Psychological Association
https://www.apa.org/news/apa/kindness-mental-health

From the Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-art-of-kindness

Introduction to Mental Health Month

This entry was posted in LEAD Contributors and tagged behavioral health environment equine assisted counseling equine assisted psychotherapy horses mental health mental health awareness on by

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we at LEAD with Horses are encouraging our staff, volunteers, and the children and families we serve to look closely around and look deep within. From your home, yard, and neighborhood to genetics, many factors come into play when it comes to emerging mental health conditions. We and our Healing Herd encourage everyone to consider how the world around us affects our mental health and overall well-being.

This month we will be exploring how environment affects our state of well-being for both horses AND humans. We will look at how simple changes to our surroundings can make a world of difference in levels of stress, anxiety, or depression. And, of course, we are all more than eager to provide you with what you need to know about how working with our Healing Herd can improve the overall sense of well-being in relationships among family members and with peers and/or co-workers.

At LEAD with Horses, the environment we provide for our herd fosters a healthy and clean-living environment where the horses can be outdoors with lots of room to romp around and play as well as shelter from harsh weather.

As we post information about Mental Health, Horses, and our surroundings, we hope you will be surprised and amazed at how similar the little things are that benefit both horses and humans! You will appreciate knowing how horses also experience mental health conditions of their own and learning that they’re not so different from humans.