FAQ
View our frequently asked questions below. Please reach out to us with any additional questions.
Does Equine Assisted Psychotherapy or Equine Assisted Play Therapy involve riding the horses?
No. All therapeutic work is completed with the participant standing on the ground working alongside their equine partner.
Does Dragonfly Therapeutics offer Equine Assisted Groups?
Yes. If agencies, organizations or community members are looking for Equine Partnered Group offerings, they can connect with Dragonfly Therapeutics to discuss their group’s needs. We can put together a two-hour group designed to support a predetermined psychoeducational focus, (ie. healthy relationships, building self-esteem), in conjunction with Equine Assisted Learning Exercises.
What horses are used for Equine Partnered Psychotherapy/Equine Partnered Play Therapy?
Dragonfly Therapeutics has one Thoroughbred and two miniature horses, named Ben, Silly and Nilly. In Equine Partnered Play Therapy only miniature horses are utilized as equine partners. The facility we work out of, also has a number of horses we can use for Equine Partnered Psychotherapy, along with Ben. Access to a variety of horses offers participants the opportunity to connect with a varied selection of equine partners.
Do I need horse experience to participate in Equine Partnered Psychotherapy or Equine Partnered Play Therapy?
No. EPP and EPPT is not about horsemanship. It is about discovering the human-horse connection, and through this, exploring the relational self and how this contributes to personal growth.
What is your background/qualifications?
After working with a number of city agencies, Stephanie began Dragonfly Therapeutics of Calgary Inc. in 2015, a private practice that focusses on trauma and mental health.
Stephanie has a Master of Social Work with a Clinical Specialization as well as additional designations as a Certified Play Therapist and a Clinical Traumatologist. Stephanie holds current registration with both The Alberta College of Social Workers and The Canadian Association for Play Therapy.
In 2016, Stephanie began to incorporate Equine Partnered Psychotherapy as an additional service through her existing private practice. A practice goal was to find a way to incorporate her two “therapeutic passions” – Play Therapy and Equine Partnered Psychotherapy. In 2020, Stephanie’s practice began offering Equine Partnered Play Therapy, she travelled to Texas to complete in person training with the developer of the Equine Partnered Play Therapy modality. Stephanie also has an additional designation as a Certified Equine Partnered Learning Facilitator from Cartier Farms.