Our main activity is the ReStart course, which is typically delivered  over a 5 day week , approx 2 hour sessions but can be adapted depending on the needs of each participant and their families, 1-to-1 with a facilitator. 

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During the ReStart course we teach, rehearse and repeat key resilience skills in an intensive and challenging, but in a fun way, with feedback in-the-moment from specially trained horses. There is no discussion of the past. All sessions take place in action with the horses, there is no classroom content or talk-based therapy/counselling. Tasks are guided by the facilitator and the horses are selected and trained to provide especially clear and easily observed physical feedback to participants, many of whom may not have interacted with horses prior to taking part in the programme. The methodological focus is on social/emotional shifts being made ‘in the moment’, in response to difficulties encountered. Participants are unmounted handlers, learning to work in partnership with the horses on the ground. The course employs an approach using a series of specific tasks as tools to develop positive habits.

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On the last day, each participant has a robust reflective session with their facilitator - looking at their progress in each of the areas of the Skills Star. 

Upon successful completion of the course, participants are presented with a certificate and get a copy of our Skills Star to assist them with continued development, and a couple photos (if permission granted) to take home. If they have taken the opportunity to record a short film on the last session of some of the tasks with the horses learnt over the week, it will be put on a memory stick together with more photos and sent shortly after the end of the course.

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Top-Ups and Lighter Touch Sessions

 

In order to meet our charitable objective and funding criteria, our 5 day ReStart is aimed at those hardest to reach where talking isn’t working. Please see our referral section below for more information on how we assess suitability. 

 

However, in addition to the intensive ReStart we do offer Lighter Touch options for those who are not yet at the stage of being stuck or in crisis,  for people wanting to see if this course is a good fit or for a younger person where 5 days would be too much. 

 

Top-ups are sometimes offered to provide longer term support after a ReStart course if needed. 

 

Both these sessions can be 1–2 hours, focusing on one or several Star Skills, tailored to people’s needs:

• Tasters or Top ups for ReStart participants, 1-to-1 or in family groups

• Highlight sessions, usually at a 3:1 ratio, we can accommodate groups of up to 12 people. 

 

Suitable for:

• Family groups 

• School groups to work on a single issue, eg assertiveness

• Community groups or support services bringing a group for a taster session or to work on a single issue

• Frontline worker and client for relationship-building

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Please email or ring us to discuss options.

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Non Verbal Toolkit

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Our NVT Training is a game-changer with difficult emotions or behaviours. 

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Talking is often ineffective when people shut down, zone out, become upset, disruptive or chaotic. We offer training in our specialism – reading body language and responding appropriately with non-verbal strategies to help people become calm and able to problem solve. Also for anyone (especially young people) to understand their own emotions better, in a non-medical way.

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Our NVT Training is a practical and fun workshop-style module that can be delivered both on and off-site. Drawing upon our horse-based method this 2 hour workshop is aimed at front-line professionals and parents/carers or any business, group or individual wishing to enhance their skills in reading and responding to non-verbal communication.  If the course is being run at Viewpoint Stables, there may be enough time for a short, horse-based taster at the end for a limited number of the group. 

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We will help you learn how to recognise 'early signs' and prevent yourself or others becoming:

• shut down

• explosive

• disengaged or disruptive

• wanting to run away

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We will then teach you how to read body language and use non-verbal strategies to help yourself and others to become calm, connected and able to enjoy life to the full.

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NB: Places are offered FOC for participants, parents/ families/ teachers & referral agencies although any donations are always very welcome to assist our continued operation! 

Otherwise the cost is £25 per person. 

Policy Change: From 1st March 2020 we have had to cap the number of free places on our NVT Training to 6.

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