Jeff* and his wife, Sharon*, came to Stand InBalance because they were struggling with their 13 year old daughter.  During one session they chose to connect with a large donkey which they decided represented their “daughter”.  As they began walking their “daughter”  to the barrel labeled “communication” the donkey stopped and refused to move any closer.  While Jeff and Sharon appeared to be communicating with each other and working together, the donkey’s reaction said otherwise!

We asked Jeff and Sharon to pause and become mindful and open to understanding what the donkey was expressing through his body language. This helped them shift into a more amenable mindset. The next step was helping them both let go of negative self-talk and body tension so they could be open to letting their donkey teach them about authentic communication.  If they made assumptions, went back to negative thought patterns, or weren’t really honest […]

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It’s pretty well known that creativity has many benefits. Bringing creativity into any and all facets of our lives can enhance our experience at home, at work, in our relationships – pretty much anywhere we apply it. Being creative is just plain good for us!  But often, the act of actually “being creative” is harder than it sounds. Sometimes, creativity just isn’t as accessible as we would like it to be. We just aren’t motivated, can’t come up with ideas, or simply feel stuck. We’re missing something. We’re missing INSPIRATION!

Inspiration and creativity go hand in hand, like the chicken and the egg; it’s hard to say which comes first. Being inspired […]

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“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”  ― Dalai Lama XIV

As the year comes to a close and the winter weather settles in, our natural instincts encourage us to wind down, take it slow and turn inward to a peaceful state of rest and rejuvenation. However, our modern practices usually don’t match these instinctual inclinations at all, and many of us find ourselves even busier at this time of year — finishing projects, holiday parties, family obligations, and other “merry” but very energy intensive activities. During this time of year, taking a restful pause is usually the last thing on our list of objectives and finding peace (internal or external) during all of the buzz can seem near to […]

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In a world where it is so easy to forget how to just be still and at peace, equines are wonderful reminders and great teachers of equanimity.

Monica* decided to try equine assisted therapy because she was going through a divorce and found herself anxious, irritable and always ready for a fight. She was depressed, having difficulty sleeping, and anger and resentment were common themes in her day to day life.

Monica started her first session by just observing the herd. She noticed that the equines were either grazing, laying down, or just standing next to each other. After some time, one of the larger horses came in between two others, essentially disrupting their peace. One of the horses moved away.  The other horse had a different response and instead […]

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It can be hard to join a group of people you don’t know. The same goes for horses. Joining a new herd is a process!

There are ways to make the transition into a new group a little easier for both the individual joining and the existing members. Check out these tips for joining a new group, inspired by Lady’s experience.

Listen and Be Curious: By really observing, listening and paying attention, Lady was able to learn who was who in the herd. She was able to get a sense of each individual rather than making judgements based on first impressions. By being curious about how the group was already working, […]

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