Healing with Horses helping cancer patients
HORSES in Widnes are helping cancer patients through their treatment thanks to an equine therapy.
Bethany Finch runs Healing with Horses which offers therapy to patients across the north west after their diagnosis.
The 28-year-old has horses Dixie, a Gypsy cob and Shiloh, a Shetland pony at the centre.
On her website Bethany said she started her ‘journey’ to creating Healing with Horses when she discovered she could ‘combine her two passions’ of her life – horses and humans.
The animal-lover is a trained and registered social worker and has 10 years of youth work experience.
Bethany said she travelled to Australia to train at the Equine Assisted Practice for Equine Assisted Therapy, which offers an alternative to typical room-based therapies to ‘focus on increasing awareness and resourcing skills for clients’.
For cancer patients, the sessions hope to ‘let go of treatment burden’, create opportunities in rebuilding confidence and self-esteem and set goals. The 28-year-old said the sessions might involve observing the horses, grooming or working with them.
Bethany said: “A cancer diagnosis can turn people’s lives completely upside down, so we have this space here to explore all of that, all those really difficult emotions.”
Ms Finch said the horses were ‘incredible’ at picking up on people’s feelings.
She added: “You hear a lot about people with cancer having to put on a brave face and here, they can take off that brave face, there’s no need for it.”
Cancer charity Macmillan will fund four one-hour sessions for people going through cancer treatment, where they can take part in exercises designed to help combat stress, anxiety and depression and improve mindfulness.
Nicole McIlveen, Macmillan partnership manager for the north west, said: “Being diagnosed with cancer can be an emotional rollercoaster and we will do whatever it takes to support people through this difficult period.
“This unique service gives those who are having treatment the time and space to address their emotional wellbeing in a supportive environment so they can live life as fully as they can with and beyond cancer.”