The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
This was reported by Hanna Buraho, founder of the charitable organization Rehabilitation Center Spirit, which focuses on modern rehabilitation methods.
The interview with Hanna Buraho was published on January 27 by Army FM.
“Hippotherapy is rehabilitation with the help of horses. ‘Hippo’ means horse — treatment involving a horse. In short, it is therapy using special methodologies where the horse is a full participant in the process”, — Hanna Buraho explained.
She also described who is part of the center’s team: “We have rehabilitation specialists and psychologists. All specialists have completed training courses to become hippotherapy instructors. Some specialize in physical disorders, others in pedagogical, others in psychological ones. We work with children with cerebral palsy, autism, delayed speech and psycho-emotional development, post-stroke conditions, and oncological diseases”.
Speaking about work with the military, she said: “We began working with the military in the summer of 2022 because we simply could not do otherwise. It was a calling of the heart. We created the Spirit Warrior program, and more than 5,000 military personnel have already completed it. We have groups every day. There are two programs for the military.
The first is for military personnel on rotation — psycho-emotional unloading: three hours, work with a psychologist, riding and ground work with a horse. We receive soldiers in one state and return them to commanders in a completely different one.
The second program is deeper: eight sessions of three hours each, a group of six people. This is a stabilizing psychotherapeutic program for military personnel with PTSD, anxiety-depressive disorders, and mine-explosive injuries. We work together with Pavlivska Hospital and the Rehabilitation Forces of Ukraine. We do not treat them as patients — this is deep psychotherapy that stabilizes rather than traumatizes”.
How can military personnel access therapy free of charge?
“Very simply: search for Rehabilitation Center Spirit online and call. The program is free. This year we accept about 600 military personnel. There are certain limitations: weight over 90 kg — then only ground work with the horse; spinal implants; severe pain syndromes. But if a doctor allows it — we are open”, — Hanna Buraho noted.
