Equotherapy – our therapeutic approach
Equotherapy is a special form of therapy in which the therapists are supported by the special abilities of the horses. The concept of equitherapy has evolved over time and expanded to other animals. Equotherapy places the animals' perception and communication skills at the center of the therapeutic process.
During the units, the children and young people receive new impulses from both the human and animal therapists. Without words, our horses in the therapy setting encourage interaction and a relationship. This "non-linguistic" offer opens up development steps and stimulates the senses.
In addition to the medium horse or animal, the different source professions and the additional qualifications of the supervising trainers, pedagogues and psychotherapists result in an interdisciplinary variety of methods. This creates access to individual life situations from a wide variety of perspectives.
Equotherapy can take place in both individual and group units, so-called horse strength groups.
The multi-professional team of Lichtblickhofs provides individual and needs-oriented support and care for families whose child is affected by an incurable and life-shortening illness or trauma. In addition to the affected children, all of our attention is focused on the siblings, who always urgently need supportive, relieving therapy. The team of therapists is supported by specially trained animals. Our therapy horses and animals create space for encounters and non-verbal communication. They are sensitive to the children's basic needs and respond to them.
The range of therapies Lichtblickhofs includes palliative, trauma, bereavement and hospice support for children. A dignified togetherness, reliability and responsibility towards the families, as well as the experience of self-efficacy and security are most important Lichtblickhof at the top.
Therapeutic care and support include:
- Anamnesis or therapy concept talks
- individually created therapy concept
- regular progress discussions
- Networking with a psychosocial team (if required)
- Crisis intervention (if needed)
- final talk
Therapy offer
If you are interested in a therapy place for your child, Please send us an email:
to the email address info@lichtblickhof. At
Therapeutic Individual Units
Whether it's a sheep, horse, dog, cat, or rabbit, a specially trained therapist can help with traumatic experiences, grief, and palliative care. Building a relationship with the animal and the therapist is key. The weekly sessions offer a ray of hope during what can often be a very difficult time!
Animal Power Group
What's special about our "Animal Power Groups" is that they consist of a maximum of four children, accompanied by a therapist. Social interaction, mutual support, playful competition, encouragement, and shared laughter alternate in this setting with individual experiences and personalized support. The therapy group setting allows for a lasting transfer of the positive experiences from the individual sessions into social interaction and facilitates the transfer into everyday life.
Hospice accompaniment
The team of LichtblickhofWe have many years of experience in hospice care. Outpatient care is a great help over time, and the inpatient weeks provide powerful inspiration for new, happy paths. In many situations, a flexible inpatient service is important. We are therefore all the more pleased that since summer 2022, we have been able to provide families with even more intensive, needs-based support and care year-round over a longer period in specially equipped apartments for hospice care in Vienna.
Impulse weeks on Lichtblickhof Lower Austria
During school holidays, we offer inspirational weeks at our location in Lower Austria. For many children and young people, this is a valuable opportunity to gain social experiences outside of the family, yet in a protected environment. For children with serious illnesses, or their siblings, or traumatic experiences, experiencing their own deficits within the "normal" social group is often formative. Our inspirational weeks are about restoring security and trust. Shared nature experiences, such as trekking tours, sitting around a campfire, counting shooting stars, as well as everyday activities such as cooking together, mucking out the stables, and sharing in the lives of the animals, create a bonding light.
Including theater group
The inclusive theater group is a friendly network for children, young people and adults with and without serious illnesses, disabilities or traumatic experiences. On the one hand, our team of therapists organizes the joint activities, such as dancing, theater plays and animal acrobatics, and on the other hand, we are there to support you. Music, art, literature enrich the time together. Getting other people to think creatively with the annual productions is the biggest task of the joint training time.
Lichtblickhof-Crew
After therapy, there is often still a need for a more accessible service. This is the Lichtblickhof-Crew. In the spirit of Greencare, the young people help to look after the animals, similar to a work training, do small jobs on the farm and at the same time have the support of a group around them.
