by Adrianna Alexander
Introduction: In this study, I analyzed client outcomes within a group setting utilizing the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™, focusing on its correlation with the concept of “borrowed benefit.”
Significance: Numerous clients have attested to experiencing personal benefits by observing other clients engaging in the healing process utilizing the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™. Evidence indicates that emotional healing and various other advantages manifest not only for the individual client actively participating in their healing journey but also extend to others present during an Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™ group session.
Purpose: The objective of this Capstone project was to showcase the efficacy of addressing trauma in a group environment by leveraging the principle of “borrowed benefit.”
Setting and Participants: This project, known as the Capstone, was carried out in Marana, Arizona, spanning eight months. The study’s participants comprised women aged between 35 and 60, representing diverse life experiences. The group operated as an “open group,” welcoming new participants throughout the eight-month duration. Attendance at group meetings varied, typically ranging from four to eight participants.
Capstone Description/Process: I led a women’s group as part of this project, conducting bi-monthly sessions employing the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™ to address past trauma among the participants. During each session, two to three individuals engaged in personal trauma work with my equine coaching partner in the round pen, based on their check-in at the beginning of each meeting. The remaining group members actively participated in tailored experiences designed to support the individual’s healing process or provided a quiet, supportive presence when appropriate. These activities included receiving the client’s story in a novel manner, representing the client’s family in a Family Sculpture exercise, embodying different aspects of the client’s self in Moving Mandala, and other creative Gestalt experiences. Following each activity, the group was encouraged to provide non-advice feedback. Despite diverse backgrounds, the group members commonly reported personal benefits from each individual’s work, ranging from gaining new perspectives to achieving heightened self-awareness and deeper personal healing.
Capstone Results/Impact: After completing individual sessions with each client, an opportunity for non-advisory feedback was extended to the entire group. In every group, at least one participant articulated the impact of the healing work on them or its relevance to their personal experiences. This was often accompanied by a reflection on the insights they intended to integrate into their own lives. Furthermore, participants occasionally exhibited somatic responses or emotional triggers in response to the deep Gestalt work, such as tears, shifts in body posture, or direct expressions of being moved or triggered. These responses served as indicators for me as the coach to discern the next client who would benefit from similar work. The original client’s willingness to engage in healing work facilitated an environment in which others felt encouraged to share their own experiences and address their unresolved issues.
Capstone Evaluation: Instances of derived benefit became evident when participants articulated the impact of the original therapeutic artifact on their own experiences. Examples of derived benefits encompassed a shift in perspective, self-compassion, and empathy toward others. On occasion, engagement with the therapeutic piece prompted clients to undergo an insightful realization, subsequently resulting in specific actions that other participants were equally eager to implement in their personal lives.
Future Directions: The project underscores the significance of implementing the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™ within a group context. A subsequent group program will be available for women during the Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons at the Exquisite Strides, LLC location in Marana, Arizona.
Acknowledgments: I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Melisa Pearce, my mentor, teacher, and creator of the EGCM™. Melisa has created a beautiful avenue of healing in which, with the help of horses, humans can truly transform their lives. I would also like to thank Risa August, Peggy MacArthur, and our entire “Forces of Nature” GCM™ cohort. An additional special “thank you” to Tom and Jaclyn Manzione for their hard work and dedication to this method and for sharing the science behind it.