Today’s study reminds us that everything we do as mental health practitioners, whether in the office or the barn, has an effect on the session. Dr. Murrow reviews a research study that examines physiological synchrony, the idea that there is interaction in nervous systems, physical movements, and more between beings.
She shares insights from the study that make clear there is more happening than we might realize with physiological synchrony, and she offers practical reflections on how to handle when something unexpected happens.
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References:
Koole, S. L., & Tschacher, W. (2016). Synchrony in psychotherapy: A review and an integrative framework for the therapeutic alliance. Frontiers in Psychology, 7.
Wienhold, S., Bär, L., Ringleb, Z., Zirpel, V., Gomolla, A., Denk, B. F., Volkmer, N., Gaertner, R. J., Klink, E. S. C., & Pruessner, J. C. (2025). The relationship of early life adversity and physiological synchrony within the therapeutic triad in horse-assisted therapy. Journal of Neural Transmission, 132(9), 1291–1312. https://doi-org.pgi.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s00702-025-02947-7