Why Nature-Based Therapies?

*Methodology Matters - Competency & Ethics

• Psychotherapy and Counselling is an unregulated profession in the UK, this therefore, includes Nature-Based and Animal-Assisted Therapies.

• The General Public, Clients, Referrers, Commissioners, Funders and Awarding Bodies need a national framework to evaluate the competency and scope of professionals offering therapy of any kind in the UK. In the absence of this many look to voluntary registers for this reassurance. In recognition of my clinical, integrative, multi-modal practice I have accredited membership status with the National Council of Integrative Psychotherapists, one of the first registers to acknowledge the potential clinical excellence of 'Equine Therapy'. Specifically in the case of NCIP this would be through accredited and Ofqual Regulated training qualifications at Level 5 Dip and above, where there is an evidence-base for the methodology and ethological considerations used by the practitioner. In my case, this is the IFEEL Method of Equine Facilitated Human Development and Psychotraumatology

• It is important that the General Public, Clients, Referrers, Commissioners, Funders and Awarding Bodies understand the difference in training levels, competency and scope of practice of individual service providers as the difference can be vast. In the absence of a national framework here in the UK, my industry has been evolving a national voluntary register, over the past 4 years, which was finally launched in March 2022. Having been involved in the early scoping meetings, I was then one of the first to apply successfully and I am proud to be a member of the Human Equine Interaction Register (HEIR). Their work will be to raise and set industry standards and act as a conduit between the industry, service users and stakeholders at local and national strategic levels - for the protection of the general public, practitioners and most importantly, the horses and other animals employed in these environments. Thus enabling this powerful and effective work to reach more people through safe, evaluated provision.

• Always check the credentials, qualifications, scope of practice, policies and governance of any service provider. In particular, if working with any 'Equine Therapy' setting, ensure they are either a member of HEIR and/or are on an industry recognised, accredited register related to their professional scope in Psychotherapy, Counselling, Occupational Therapy, Coaching etc. It is important, that if they cite research and evidence, that these refer to the methodology they themselves are actually trained in/deliver and/or that they can provide service evaluation and outcomes related to their scope and competencies.

• Animal welfare should be evident from your first visit, demonstrated with every activity and interaction and explicitly encouraged both through how your facilitator handles and partners with the animal (horse, dog, chicken, rabbit, rodent....etc) and how you are taught to do the same. Animals should be, at all times, able to display natural and innate behaviours and indicate curiosity to participate and/or decline. For example, where horses are being moved from field to working area they may be haltered, however, activity time should then offer liberty and a large space for them to communicate their own experience and response to the proximity/activity of the humans. This is in-line with evidenced equine welfare aims, the 5 domains of Animal Welfare and in recognition of the ethological needs of the equine species. Wildways Therapy does not operate through a traditional lens of 'equestrian' based human equine interactions. As the name suggests, Wildways Therapy works with the intrinsic, innate and implicit identity of the equine, in recognition of (and explicit demonstration of) not recreating or being complicit in themes of submission, oppression or servitude.

• There are fantastic, ethical services in the UK with highly qualified, professional, competent, experienced therapists and facilitators with animal welfare and wellbeing at the centre of what they do. They have worked hard to train and integrate best practice across diverse modalities for the benefit of their clients and can evidence broad understanding of the ethograms (natural behaviours) of the animals they work with. Make sure you get the best, most suitable provision for yourself, your family members or your clients and support/uphold the highest standards of animal welfare for the animals you partner with.

• If you are out of my area/would prefer to find a different provision for whatever reason and are looking for an 'in-person' provider near to you that offers integrative services, including Human Equine Interactions, do get in touch as I may be able to sign post you to someone in my network, locally and nationally and do check the register at HEIR.