We are truly blessed to have 9 wonderful equine co-facilitators here at Stand InBalance. As sentient “truth detectors” they help us humans connect with the deepest parts of ourselves — particularly those aspects that have been silenced and denied. Lynn* (22 y.o.) was referred by her therapist for adjunctive help with self-harm behaviors. Her outgoing, “cheery” facade belied the depth of her pain and self-loathing. Following a sexual assault at age 19, Lynn started using self-harm as way to cope with the unmanageable aftermath.
In her second session, Lynn created an obstacle course that represented her current challenges and chose a low pole jump to represent her self-harm behaviors. She was adamant about wanting to “get over” them. Lynn and her horse had been walking around the arena without any difficulty for most of the session. […]
According to a survey of 2,000 Americans, people are less likely to feel or express gratitude at work than anyplace else, despite the fact that 93% agreed that grateful bosses are more likely to succeed, and most reported that hearing “thank you” at work made them feel good and motivated. A paycheck is only one of the motivations we bring to work. We don’t just work for money. We also work for respect, a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of purpose, and more. Gratitude is a non-monetary way to support those non-monetary motivations. “Thank you” doesn’t cost a dime, and it has measurable benefits. Building a culture of gratitude at work may not be easy, but it is worth it. Here are five research-tested tips for fostering gratitude on the job: #1 – Start at the top: This is one of the clearest takeaways from research into workplace gratitude: […]
As the Thanksgiving holidays approach, GRATITUDE moves closer to the forefront of our minds. Being thankful has so many benefits – here are 11 that we hope will encourage you to stay grateful all year long!
#3 – Reduces stress: […]
The horses let us know when we lack clear intention or clear communication. Mike*, a 42 year old manager, brought his team to Stand InBalance because of rising conflict and difficulty meeting deadlines. Each of the 12 team members stated that in general they worked reasonably well together and were clear about roles and responsibilities. However, the agitation and lack of cooperation from the horses told a different story. As the group struggled to […]
Clear communication is especially difficult if we are in self-doubt or unsure about what we are trying to communicate. Inevitably we end up sending ambiguous, mixed messages that hurt our relationships and leave us without the results we hoped for.