This is the best progress he’s had – and in such a short time. We’d tried everything, but Yawardani Jan-ga made the biggest difference. – Ethan’s* mum
When my son Ethan lost his dad in a car accident, he stopped being the boy I knew. He was only nine, but the grief and anxiety overwhelmed him. He clung to me constantly. Leaving me would send him into panic. At home, he’d throw things and lash out. At school, he couldn’t focus, couldn’t cope. We tried counselling, but nothing seemed to help.
Then we were referred to the Yawarda Services Yawardani Janga program. I didn’t know much about equine therapy, but from the first session, I could see this was something different. Ethan was out on Country, working with horses and a calm support team who just “got” him. There was no pressure to talk; just connection, observation, and trust. The horses gave him something we couldn’t: immediate, honest feedback. If he was anxious or angry, they stepped away. If he was calm and present, they came closer. Slowly, Ethan started to see the impact of his emotions – and began to regulate them. He learned how to breathe through stress, express himself without exploding, and set boundaries in healthy ways.
He loved those sessions. And so did I – because I could see my son coming back to life. His confidence returned. His anger softened. He started talking to his teachers more, trying new things, and even laughing again. He wasn’t just calmer, he was braver. A few months later, life threw more challenges at us, and Ethan went back for another round of sessions. The second time, the changes were even deeper. He could “snap out of” tough moods faster. He had more patience. He began trusting adults again, including me.
I’ve seen my son go through years of therapy. But nothing worked like Yawardani Jan-ga. It met him where he was, in a way that made sense to him. He connected not just with the horses, but with himself. I’ll never stop being grateful for that.
*From his mum’s perspective. Name changed to protect identity.
