Amy Blossom has combined her love for horses and helping people into a career.

Blossom is the founder and director of Equine Therapy at Reins of Change in Elgin, which is an organization that helps people cope with emotional or physical problems.

Equine assisted psychotherapy is a form of experimental therapy that helps people with eating disorders. It uses horses to teach people about ineffective communication, relationship skills or behaviors.

“Horses are experts at reading non-verbal communication and because of their instincts as prey animals, they are an extremely helpful therapy tool,” Blossom said.

She said the therapy gives participants a new perspective.

“When participants relate their experiences in the activity to their own life, you can see them begin to really understand what they need to do to have the life they want,” Blossom said.

Blossom founded Reins of Change in July 1998. Since then, it has helped more than 200 people with eating disorders.

The organization only uses qualified therapists who specialize in eating disorders and treatments.

The program provides individual, group and family therapy, Blossom said. She said they also provide a regular weekly group for Linden Oaks Hospital at Edward in Naperville. Blossom said they bring their patients to the stable for two hours of equine assisted psychotherapy each week.

Lisa Hardekopf is a certified eating disorders associate and senior mental health counselor in the eating disorders program at Linden Oaks.

“Eating disorders are not about food,” Hardekopf said. “They are a way for people to cope with life and to communicate their feelings to people around them. Because of the secrecy associated with eating disorders, most people are unaware of how many people truly suffer from them.”

In addition to Linden Oaks and Clarus Center, a private practice in Naperville, Reins of Change also provides services to clients referred by Heartland Counseling Center in Elburn, as well as other family services in Elgin.

Bonnie Harrington, a licensed professional counselor at Clarus Center, brings a monthly adult eating disorders group to participate in equine assisted psychotherapy at Reins of Change. She also conducts individual therapy sessions.

“It’s important to realize that eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder,” Harrington said.

Reins of Change works with a not-for-profit program called Horses Healing Hearts, which is dedicated to providing services to children who are at risk and can’t afford therapy.

“I started it because I have a degree in psychology and a lifetime of horse experience,” Blossom said. “I knew it was the perfect career for me. I work in therapy teams with licensed therapists to provide our services, and it is so rewarding to see the positive effects the horses have on our clients.”

Disorder awareness

In support of National Eating Disorder Awareness Month, Reins of Change is holding an open barn from 8 a.m. to noon today in Elgin.

For more information, call 847-464-5177.