Trauma? What does Nature & Horses have to do with that!

I have recently been asked to better clarify what exactly it is that I do, as a Life Coach, as a Facilitator of Equine Assisted Coaching and a Hiking Guide. What is it about Nature and Horses the helps us to make sense of the trauma's in our lives, and how do they help us move through them and heal. 

What is trauma? Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, causes feeling of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences. 

What causes trauma? This is so different for everyone, the particular trauma is different, how it affects us is different and how we deal with it is different than anyone else.                                                                                                                                                                            The common thread though is that it does affect us but our society these days will only let us show this on the outside for a limited amount of time... "that's do bad but it's time to get over it and move on"!

We're still suffering, but we hide it and we hide from it. It's scary to look at and it's scary to deal with it so we distract ourselves with work, family, phones, computers.... 

"If I ignore it long enough", it will just go away... nope! We just start to feel the effects in different ways, again, different for everyone but there are consequences. 

I'm very grateful, my love of nature and my horses went a long way to helping me make sense of some of the crap that landed on my plate. Even though I may not have been consciously aware of what my horses were doing for me I just knew that I always felt better after being around them, mentally, emotionally and physically. They were a "reset button"! 

I finally clued in and I needed to know more about how they did this, I've learned so much over the last few years, I'm still learning from them...

You can't hide anything from them but no matter what it is, you will receive no judgement, you will receive truth and the space to be safe. Their intuitive nature and ability to let emotions flow makes them natural Shamans. (Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition and moreover, a way of life. It is a way to connect with nature and all of creation).   

Nature Therapy

Humans are drawn to nature and comforted by natural settings. If you've ever found yourself staring longingly at a picture of a beach or been transfixed by a scene of the forest, it's an example of your inner spirit seeking to align itself with the core of its nature. We evolved as part of this planet – just as much connected to Earth as the flowers, plants and trees – and our body, mind and spirit are happiest when they remain attuned to more natural settings.​

There are so many studies out there now about the positive effects of nature. There is the science behind it and then there is my favoured approach, Forest Bathing and/or Earthing. Mind you, there's science behind these methods but I just like to do it.

There is no disputing that time spent outside make us feel better!

It is my passion to introduce the people who choose to work with me about a different way of being. A way of being with horses and in nature that facilitates healing, growth, and forward movement through our traumas.

This is not about riding a horse or climbing a mountain, it is about finding our way home. Home is where the Heart is, Home is about feeling safe, Home is about being able to Breathe deep and Release that which keeps us stuck in trauma.   

"In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful." Alice Walker  

If you would like to know more, I would love to speak with you!