Abstract
South Africa has a need for more mental health resources as the traditional psychology methods are not fully meeting the mental health requirements for the population at large. The main purpose of this research study is to examine the benefits and challenges of equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) as constructed by practitioners in a specific South African context. The dissertation examines what is being done in terms of practicing EAP in this country and how practitioners construct their experiences, in order to understand the viability of incorporating this form of psychotherapy into the mental health offerings as an alternative to traditional therapy methods.
EAP is an experiential approach that involves a herd or group of horses, or equines, in the therapy setting. Relatively little research has been done on EAP in a South African context, so this study attempts to fill some of that gap in the research by obtaining an understanding of the experiences of practitioners of EAP. This was articulated as attempting to understand the benefits and challenges as constructed by these practitioners.
In this qualitative study, four participants were interviewed, each of whom had been working within the EAP model at a specific Centre for at least a year and were all practitioners in different capacities. Semi-structured interviews were used as a data collection tool, in order to ensure that the voice of the participant was the focal point, as well as obtaining adequate information to answer the research question. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts of the interviews and to generate themes from the data. Similarities across the transcripts, as well as individual nuances, led to patterns of meaning that constructed four themes. These included: EAP as a broader and more holistic model, the narrative therapeutic approach as integral to the practice of EAP, the intermediary role of the horse in EAP, and how practitioners of EAP in a South African context experience the challenges of EAP . Through the generation of these themes, a deeper understanding of the experience of practicing EAP in South Africa emerged. This understanding can form part of a foundation for further research into EAP in South Africa and around the world.