“Horses and Their Ability to Heal” by Gloria Lybecker, originally published in Natural Awakenings Inland Northwest. 

"The horse has evolved over millions of years as a prey animal. Their nervous systems are wired to react quickly to known or perceived threats. The physical structure of a horse's brain, with its enlarged amygdala, closely resembles humans who have experienced trauma. This gives them the ability to engage easily with those who struggle with hyper-vigilance and reactivity, providing the "neuroception of safety" (safety felt by the subconscious) and intuitive understanding of who is trustworthy and who is not. 

It is often said that horses see with their ears. This is true in that their visual to mental focus can be observed by where they point their ears. Yet every movement of the horse is communication: a twitch of its ear, a swish of its tail, the snake-like movements it can make with its neck. 

Horses also have huge hearts, averaging about...

It is our birthright to live our lives whole… Many of us today don't feel completely whole, as if we are not all here. When we become aware of this, we can open to the possibility of reclaiming what we once enjoyed, and with support recover our soul - the vital essence of our life.  

What can cause this sense of loss or emptiness within? For many it is the result of trauma; a part of our essence separated from us in order to survive.  In an overwhelming experience our body supported us to escape the full impact of debilitating pain so we forgot the experience. In doing so, we also forgot who we truly are, and our sense of self was replaced by projections imprinted on us by others; family, authority figures, and peers, to name a few. 

It is possible to receive support, to remember who we truly are, and why we were born into this world. It is our birthright to live our lives whole and help others to do the same. That is our passion here at Healing You...

Where I place my attention, my energy follows.

I notice this rings true for me in my relationships, not just with myself, but with horses as well. When I invite them to dance in rhythm with me, wherever I place my attention is definitely where my energy follows. 

When I feel nervous and uncertain, and do not consciously acknowledge my inner experience, I tend to automatically look for what is "wrong" and may "over correct" in an attempt to restore a fluid sense of connection. I may also misread my horses' body language and cues and perceive my horses' actions as threatening. This does not contribute towards the beauty of the need for safety, let alone attuned resonate connection. 

Yet, as I begin to notice the pattern emerging in the moment, and remember to slow everything down (dropping momentarily into my body, acknowledging my sensations and emotions and link them energetically to my needs) it's rather magical how I sense both our energies, mine and my horses,...

Today I’m going to talk about a modality that's been gaining popularity in recent years: family constellations.

Family constellations is a therapeutic approach that helps people understand and heal from the negative patterns and dynamics that exist within their family system. It's based on the idea that our families are complex systems, and that problems within those systems can affect us on a deep, emotional level. By uncovering and addressing these problems, we can heal from emotional wounds and live more fulfilling lives.

The practice of family constellations originated in Germany in the 1990s, and has since spread to other parts of the world. It's been used to address a variety of issues, including trauma, addiction, depression, anxiety, and relationship problems. And as more people have experienced the benefits of family constellations, its popularity has continued to grow.

So, how does family constellations work? Essentially, it involves creating a physical...

As a little girl, one of my biggest dreams was to live in the country, with my own herd of horses, providing a safe haven where others could experience relationships very differently. Even radically. To experience relationships that endure, ones that maintain connection and communication - especially when it feels hard. 

Especially when emotions oscillate high or low, I want to experience relationships that choose to stay, to accompany one another with curiosity and understanding. Rather than trying to fix you, tell you what to do, or make you wrong, or try to make you better. Because you are whole. You are complete. You are perfect as you are. 

It may be that you need to get to know yourself with new eyes - through the eyes of a horse, or two, or three...

I am honored to share with you the story of a magnificent being who has begun to live her life on purpose - she is living her dream. Enjoy! 

"I sought out and have experienced deep healing at this sanctuary in...

As I leaned forward in my chair, trying to navigate a virtual high school, I could feel the desperation mounting inside of me. I needed to get a program installed so my son could do his homework, but the computer set up was unfamiliar to me, the mouse was super sensitive, the type on the screen was smaller than my eyes could easily read, and the screen was positioned so I had to look up at it. The strain on my neck tightened by the moment.

"Relax, Mom," my son said gently, noticing how tense I was. "It doesn't have to be so hard. Take a deep breath and let go of the stress."

I took a moment to really hear him and looked into his face. He had grown so much since we began homeschooling him. We had chosen this path because public and private schools didn't meet his unique needs, and we wanted to be able to empower him to learn and grow at his own pace. It wasn't always easy, though. He experienced high anxiety and sensory processing difficulties, and I had to learn how to support him...

I remember a powerful experience when I had just held space for a team member who was triggered, and I was beginning to debrief with my co-facilitators. As I looked into another team members eyes, I felt a lightness in my chest and a sense of resonance. But suddenly, I felt a drop of energy in the room, like a void, a dark cloud of energy.

Glancing to my right, I noticed one of the women sitting quietly, still-faced, and looking away. I recognized a familiar sense of dread and nothingness waft over my felt sense of existing in that moment. I felt like doom was eminently near.

Immediately, my Compassionate Self silently acknowledged this inner felt part, saying gently, "I see you. I am here with you. It is safe to be you, especially now."

Breathing into my belly, I turned with curiosity to the still-faced person and said, "I'd like to check in with you. I sense it may feel as if I rolled over you, and that was not my intention. I apologize."

"Well, I understand people get...

What’s so valuable about developing body awareness?

Our bodily systems hold our memories forever, including memories of traumatic events, (the amygdala has no sense of time); until we reclaim the moments when we experienced overwhelm with attuned, warm, resonate presence. When we intentionally slow down both our inner and outer experiences, mindfully checking in with our body to notice any sensations and/or impulses to move, we open a new doorway of experiencing.  Daniel Siegel describes this as "a new plane of possibility." 

Is it possible to rest in our experience of what is happening in order to see it more clearly? 

When pausing to bring attention to your body, notice the first place your mind rests, this opens a doorway to the Present moment. As you attune to your own inner experience, you can begin to receive the wisdom of your body, notice the sensations in this area, and intentionally take time to become aware of the subtleties within sensations (such as...

Today I’d like to share the story of a client of mine that at the tender age of 14, they had been sexually assaulted. Now in her 50's she had begun experiencing memories being triggered, stinging, painful memories she had not been aware of before. As a result, she found herself swirling in such incredible shame she just wanted to stay in bed and hide.  Forever. 

When I received the phone call from my client, requesting another personal session with horse, she said the horse of her youth had come to her in a dream and reminded her that she wasn't alone. She felt hopeful receiving this message, and trusted that just as the horses had nurtured her when she was young; they were calling her to trust them again to receive the energy to move forward. 

How do we begin to heal our inner wounds? How is it possible to begin to feel the pain of the past without falling into overwhelm? How do we hold onto hope? When our hurt was created interpersonally; our healing must be...

Did You Know that the Horse is the Totem Animal for Power?

When you reflect on “Power” what are all the different energies you have around it? Grace, balanced, soft, strength, sensitive, listens, and wisdom spring to my mind as I reflect on power that is life-serving. Whereas doubting, dominant and force spring to mind reflecting on power that does not serve life well. 

As a power animal, horse, is primarily a message carrier and often supports people to traverse "gateways" in their lives. They are connected with the power and responsibility that comes from exercising authority, and the wisdom necessary to utilize it in a balanced way. On an emotional level, horse is connected with the beauty of the need for compassionate understanding. 

The 3rd chakra is the personal power chakra. When the fear-base is triggered in the human nervous system, the energy can oscillate into the Militant archetype (the central vagus nerve branch–fight to survive) which may...