Planning and Delivering a Trauma Informed Workshop
This subtopic equips learners with the knowledge and skills to design and facilitate trauma-informed workshops integrating equine-facilitated psychotraumatology (IFEEL Method). It emphasises creating psychologically safe environments, applying trauma theory to workshop structure, and ensuring ethical and professional practice when working with both humans and equines.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The Crossfields Institute Level 6 Diploma in the IFEEL Method of Equine Facilitated Psychotraumatology is an advanced vocational qualification that integrates trauma-informed psychotherapy with equine-facilitated interventions. This diploma focuses on the IFEEL (Integrated Facilitation of Equine Experiential Learning) Method, a structured approach that uses horses as co-facilitators in therapeutic settings to address complex trauma, attachment disruptions, and psychotraumatology. Students explore how the horse's innate sensitivity to non-verbal cues and mirroring of emotional states can create a safe, embodied environment for clients to process traumatic memories and develop relational resilience. The qualification is designed for experienced practitioners in health and social care, such as counsellors, psychotherapists, or social workers, who wish to specialise in equine-assisted psychotraumatology.
This diploma is significant because it bridges the gap between traditional talk therapies and experiential, somatic approaches. Horses, as prey animals, are highly attuned to threat and safety cues, making them uniquely effective in working with clients who have experienced trauma, where the body often holds the memory. The IFEEL Method emphasises ethical practice, safety protocols, and a deep understanding of equine behaviour, ensuring that interventions are both therapeutic and humane. Within the wider subject of Health & Social Care, this qualification addresses the growing demand for innovative, evidence-based trauma therapies that move beyond verbal processing, particularly for clients who are dissociative, non-verbal, or resistant to conventional therapy.
Students on this diploma will learn to assess client suitability, design session plans that incorporate groundwork and mounted work (if appropriate), and evaluate outcomes using psychometric tools and reflective practice. The curriculum covers trauma theory, attachment theory, polyvagal theory, and the neuroscience of equine-human interaction. By the end of the programme, graduates are equipped to work autonomously in private practice, clinics, or specialist trauma services, adhering to the IFEEL Method's ethical framework and professional standards.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →The IFEEL Method: A structured, phased approach to equine-facilitated psychotraumatology that integrates trauma-informed care, experiential learning, and the horse's natural behaviour to facilitate emotional regulation, relational repair, and post-traumatic growth.
- →Polyvagal Theory in Practice: Understanding how the horse's presence can co-regulate the client's autonomic nervous system, moving them from a state of hyperarousal (fight/flight) or hypoarousal (freeze) to a ventral vagal state of safety and social engagement.
- →Equine Communication and Mirroring: Horses are masters of non-verbal communication; they mirror the client's emotional state and provide immediate, honest feedback. This concept involves teaching clients to read equine cues (e.g., ear position, breathing, tail carriage) as a reflection of their own internal experience.
- →Trauma-Informed Groundwork: All interventions are conducted on the ground (not ridden) to ensure safety and accessibility. Activities include leading, lunging, and liberty work, designed to build trust, boundary-setting, and mastery without re-traumatisation.
- →Ethical Practice and Safeguarding: Strict protocols for client assessment, informed consent, confidentiality, and emergency procedures. The welfare of the horse is paramount, with clear guidelines on rest periods, environmental enrichment, and recognising signs of stress in the animal.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Critically analyse the principles of trauma-informed practice in workshop design
- Design a coherent workshop plan integrating IFEEL Method techniques
- Evaluate strategies for managing group dynamics in trauma-sensitive settings
- Demonstrate ethical reasoning in equine-assisted facilitation
- Apply risk assessment frameworks to ensure physical and psychological safety
- Reflect on personal facilitation style and its impact on trauma survivors
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating a clear link between trauma theory and practical workshop activities
- Look for evidence of comprehensive risk assessment covering both human and equine wellbeing
- Assess the inclusion of debriefing and containment strategies in the workshop plan
- Check for appropriate adaptation of activities for different trauma presentations
- Credit the use of reflective models to evaluate workshop outcomes
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Ensure your workshop plan explicitly references the IFEEL Method's philosophical foundations
- 💡Use case studies to illustrate how you would adapt facilitation in real-world scenarios
- 💡In reflective accounts, go beyond description by analysing the reasoning behind your decisions
- 💡Balance academic references with practical examples to demonstrate applied understanding
- 💡When writing about the IFEEL Method, always link theory to practice. For example, when discussing polyvagal theory, describe a specific ground exercise (e.g., 'leading the horse at halt') and explain how it promotes ventral vagal activation. Examiners reward concrete examples that show you can apply concepts.
- 💡Demonstrate critical reflection by evaluating the limitations of equine-facilitated work. For instance, discuss contraindications such as clients with severe allergies, phobias, or those who are actively psychotic. Showing awareness of when NOT to use the method is as important as knowing when to use it.
- 💡Use the correct terminology from the IFEEL Method manual, such as 'attunement', 'containment', 'co-regulation', and 'embodied processing'. Avoid vague terms like 'bonding' or 'connection'. Precision in language signals depth of understanding to examiners.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Failing to distinguish between trauma-informed and generic facilitation approaches
- Overlooking equine stress signals and their impact on workshop safety
- Neglecting to include contingency plans for emotional dysregulation
- Assuming homogeneity in participants’ trauma responses
- Insufficient reflection on the facilitator's own triggers and biases
- Misconception: Equine-facilitated therapy is just 'horse riding for therapy'. Correction: The IFEEL Method is primarily groundwork-based; riding is only used in advanced stages if clinically appropriate and with extensive risk assessment. The focus is on relational and somatic processing, not riding skills.
- Misconception: Any horse can be used for trauma therapy. Correction: Horses used in the IFEEL Method must be carefully selected for temperament, training, and resilience. They undergo regular welfare checks and are rotated to prevent burnout. Not all horses are suitable, and forcing a horse to work can cause harm to both animal and client.
- Misconception: The therapist doesn't need to be a trauma specialist; the horse does the work. Correction: The therapist must be a qualified psychotraumatology practitioner who can contain the client's trauma responses, interpret equine behaviour, and integrate the experience into a therapeutic framework. The horse is a co-facilitator, not a replacement for clinical expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for CROSSFIELDS INSTITUTE Planning and Delivering a Trauma Informed Workshop
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •A recognised qualification in counselling, psychotherapy, or social work at Level 5 or above, with supervised practice hours.
- •Foundational knowledge of trauma theory, including the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), dissociation, and the neurobiology of trauma.
- •Basic understanding of equine behaviour and handling, typically gained through a pre-course workshop or prior experience (e.g., volunteering at a riding school).
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Trauma-informed principles
- Workshop design frameworks
- Facilitation and holding space
- Equine welfare and integration
- Risk assessment and safety
- Ethical and professional boundaries
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