An AIT session is most beneficial if it takes place when the animal is resting and able to rest for a few hours afterwards. If this is not possible, then I will limit the session to what is achievable (I can still do NLP, creative visualisations and communication for example) and then save any deeper work for when the animal will be less distracted.
After any deep therapy work (such as after a first or second session where there have been a lot of emotions bubbling up), I usually recommend that the animal is given only light exercise for 24-48 hours, especially if you notice a healing crisis (a temporary worsening of symptoms). This is to minimise any extra emotional or physical pressure on the animal and allows him/her time to adjust.
When comparing animals to humans, it is just extraordinary how quickly animals adjust. I know people who, after deep therapy trauma or past life work have gone home, locked all the doors, taken the phone off the hook and just cried for 3 days, and still taken several weeks to fully process what's changed inside them.
With animals, it thankfully works differently and a lot quicker. They release and move on in ways we humans can only aspire.
When a depressed or traumatised horse processes a
lifetime of anxiety, abandonment or abuse in a couple
of sessions and in a few days is skipping around her
field, kicking her legs in the air and finding novel ways
to wind you up; behold, step back and simply marvel
at the resilience and healing power that is Horse!
