What does connection mean to you? How does being connected make you feel? Human beings naturally crave connection and when we feel like we are disconnected in some way it can be uncomfortable and even scary. Not being connected also makes us feel separate, which can lead to feelings of isolation, fear and even danger. As a tribe society, it is natural for us to gravitate towards connecting with one another and to feel discomfort when we feel cut off.

Being connected gives us a sense of safety, peace and belonging. However, many of us don’t realize that it is the act of connection itself that brings about these comfortable feelings, not necessarily who or what we are connecting with specifically. The same positive effects can be achieved whether […]

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The connection between horses and humans is as ancient as it is sacred. It’s truly a unique relationship from a prey and predator perspective that continues to evolve to this day. Connection is a shared interest among horses as much as it is among humans and the relationship between horses and humans was likely created because making that connection with each other has been, and continues to be, beneficial for both.

Liz* came to us for some life coaching. She’d been struggling with a “passion project” that she had started and was feeling stuck and uninspired. Liz wasn’t ready to give up on it, but she was starting to feel more weighed down and stressed out about it than passionate!

After entering the arena and introducing herself […]

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Jerry* came to us through a program for Veterans. He and his wife, Anna, were participating in an activity that involved walking their equine around the arena to four designated barrels labeled with different topics to discuss and reflect on. On top of the barrel, labeled “Self Care”, there were a few brushes to invite the opportunity to take some time to brush their horse and talk about what self-care meant to them. When Jerry and his wife had a turn at the “Self Care” station and started to brush their horse something unexpected happened.  “Mama”, the horse they’d been working with, didn’t seem happy at all with the brushing she was receiving, she held her head high and kept trying to move away from the brush. […]

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Our emotions are one of the main things that make us human and yet the relationship that we humans have with our emotions tends to be tenuous at best. So often, we reject and avoid our emotions, especially those labeled as “negative”. We have learned that showing emotion is a sign of “weakness”, that we should remain in control of our emotions, that we shouldn’t show them, and quite possibly that we shouldn’t even have them. However, this type of condemning of our feelings does us much more harm than good.

Honoring and respecting our emotions leads not only to authenticity and balance, but to a sense of inner peace. When we allow our emotions the time and space they need to exist, we […]

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Matthew* came to Stand InBalance because he’d been battling addiction through most of his young adult life and he had heard that equine therapy could be a good compliment to traditional talk therapy.

In his first session, Matthew connected with Maybelline (a donkey) and was brushing her when Bubba (another donkey) walked over and promptly nudged Matthew pretty hard. Maybelline swiftly and effectively swung her head around, flattened her ears and motioned for Bubba to go away.  Bubba immediately moved away.  Matthew went back to brushing Maybelline and then several minutes later Bubba came back again and pushed Matthew. This startled Matthew and he immediately walked away from the donkeys exclaiming “that’s it! I’m done.” He went over to the shade, sat down and put his head in his hands. We asked what happened and he […]

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