Death & Dying

In this outdoor experiential psychotherapy session focused on death and dying, a licensed psychologist and other trained facilitators first invite a group of adolescents and young adults to join a small herd of Florida Cracker horses to experience the way the horses live, their beauty, and their relationships with each other. The facilitators then lead the group to the Bone Yard in a remote area on the grounds of the 4700-acre wildlife preserve/horse and cattle ranch. After a preparatory briefing focused on the existential issues of death and dying and the meaning and purpose of life, the group spends quiet time wandering among the bones of deceased horses and cows. In the private reflection and debriefing session that followed, participants spoke of "the circle of life", the fact that "every living thing eventually dies", and the importance of living a meaningful life. One young woman stated, "Life is on loan--you have to give it back." This experiential psychotherapy session was facilitated by Eye of a Horse Nature-Exposure Animal-Assisted Programs held on the grounds of Forever Florida. Dr. Sandra Wise, a licensed psychologist in Melbourne, Florida, is the founder and director.