Abstract
Over the past decade, bodymind therapists and equine-assisted psychotherapists have separately emphasised that an approach is needed to address the embodiment of stress and trauma. However, no studies have (a) combined body-oriented approaches such as somatic experiencing (SE™) with horses in an embodied approach to the psyche in South Africa, and (b) few studies in both SE and equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) have documented the embodied experiences of clients. Through the lens of a phenomenological understanding of the body, this study aimed to capture the embodied experiences of South African participants attending a workshop that utilises SE principles within the context of a herd of horses. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews with three participants. In-depth data analysis was conducted based on the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis. At the outset, and before interacting with the horses, all three participants experienced disconnect from their bodies. Through experiential boundary exercises, participants began developing a physical awareness and experienced that their bodies had minds of their own. Through interacting with the horses, participants developed awareness of their boundaries and patterns of relating. However, only one participant experienced self-regulation by applying SE principles during interaction with the horses. Based on this study, it appears that the combination of SE and EAP shows promise for participants to embody key principles of both disciplines, including, present-focussed awareness, self-regulation, and embodied self-awareness. Conducting further studies on the embodied experiences of participants becoming somatically aware within a herd of horses may help to expand the fields of SE and EAP as separate and combined fields. In addition, future studies could include mixed methods and a diverse sample group to develop the field of EAP within a South African context.
M.A. (Counselling Psychology)