Building a safe place to welcome clients in the presence of animals and nature has always been a dream of Bluey Gilkes.
And for the past 18 months she has been living that dream each day.
In 2023, Bluey enrolled in EATA’s Counselling Course, specialising in Equine Assisted Mental Health.
Nature and animals were a vital part of her life journey, and she wanted others to benefit from the same connection.
Through EATA’s course, Bluey was able to develop the knowledge and skills required to work as a counsellor and an equine-assisted mental health practitioner.
After 19 months of study, she was equipped to work with clients on personal and psychological challenges, while safely and therapeutically incorporating horses into the sessions.
“The course gave me a solid framework on which to base my counselling skills,” Bluey said.
“Jane and her team were absolutely amazing – learning from such a powerful group of professionals was so inspiring – and my fellow Cohort 14 crew.
I couldn’t have completed the course without them.
The friendships, laughter, tears and experiences we shared will stay with me throughout my career,” she said.
Throughout the course, the EATA students learnt alongside two herds of horses, on two beautiful rural locations, including EATA’s main base on the Gold Coast.
Bluey said the two herds, she had the privilege of learning from, strengthened her views on the importance of trust.
“The way the horses communicated within the herd, and us as students, showed their wonderful ability to teach us non-judgemental views towards each other.
I gained a deeper insight into horse and human connection and communication,” she said.
Since graduating, Bluey and her fiancée have started their own equine-assisted therapy business, Sunshine Farm Eudlo, from their home on the Sunshine Coast.
With 10 acres of land and a range of animals that all assist in the therapy programs, clients benefit from the presence of horses, goats, pigs, chooks, dogs, cats and an abundance of wildlife too.
“The most rewarding aspect of being an equine-assisted mental health practitioner is watching the co-facilitator (the horse) and the client experience that ‘WOW’ moment.
When the horse responds with a breath out and the client subconsciously knows they are in a safe place and held without judgement – that is the moment that reminds me of my ‘Why’,” said Bluey.
IMAGE: EATA graduate Bluey Gilkes and her horse Cash, a nine-year-old half Percheron, quarter Clydesdale and quarter Quarter Horse. Cash was born deaf, but loves to swim and loves carrots. Bluey loves the ocean, surfing and is a vegetarian so they make quite the team!