Selbeck recalls being a family therapist in small, noisy rooms, leaving herself and the families feeling unsafe and imprisoned, as if all the built-up tension was highly compressed in this room. She figured, "how on earth could anyone improve here," and thought the context and space are just as important as the therapy itself.
Using horses as co-therapists may still raise some eyebrows in the conventional therapy world. However, we all know that expression with words is limited. Animals, especially horses, who live in hurdles, react to body language, affection, and leadership.
The youngsters that arrive in Spain are vulnerable, severely psychologically troubled and in most cases running wild. Regular therapy is not working anymore, and parents are up against the wall.