Heard Wellness Through Horses
Site 9 Compartment 19 T0M 0N0 Carstairs, AB, Canada

A little late but here we are!!! Pasture Live... not from the pasture!

Join Angie of Equine Enrichment and I for an update from the ranch this Friday at 1.

It’s hard to capture these experiences in words, and we are so grateful whenever someone tries to do that in the form of a testimonial. As Equine Enrichment says, our next Horses and Deep Healing weekend is scheduled for May! Get in touch with us for more information!

She is a most beautiful artist... Nature. .. #spring #equinetherapy

So, we have a tiny store in our barn where we have a handful of things that we love... and we end up being our own best customers! .. Today we had a delivery by Izzy who is the maker and entrepreneur behind @full_o_bubbly . .. On your next trip to the ranch, check out her creations! Well, that is if I don’t buy them all myself first;).

Weighed down by the heaviness of all the things? Join us mid May to drop some of it in the sand. .. The horse, coach and therapist team facilitate an unmatched weekend experience of safety, self awareness, healing and growth. .. You will walk away with a greater sense of where your reactions come from, a greater appreciation for who you truly are through the eyes of a horse, and the sense of calmness/stillness that comes with it. You may make some new connections with other...s who sit in the circle as well. .. Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday Zoom call pre and post weekend Investment $525 .. This will be quite a small circle, so please message me/us if you have any questions or would like to register! .. #equinetherapy #healinghorses #horsetherapy See more

Join Michelle and I as we talk about an upcoming virtual event called Finding Fearless.

We are aiming to offer this weekend intensive again in May of this year. When we react to certain things, it is a good indication that there are wounds that are yet to be attended to. Horses identify these places with honesty and compassion to enable your facilitators to create experiences to close up the wounds for better healing. Horses provide SAFETY, CONNECTION and ACCEPTANCE which are key elements to vulnerability and moving through one's personal work. It is our opport...unity to hear the truth horses may share and explore it with curiosity. Group work is powerful! Circles of mutual commitment to safety, healing and growth, coupled with the honesty of the horse provide incredible opportunity for true community, and experiential growth and healing. You will walk away with a greater sense of where your reactions come from, a greater appreciation for who you truly are through the eyes of a horse, and the sense of calmness/stillness that comes with it. Friday May 14, 2021 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Saturday May 15, 2021 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Sunday May 16, 2021 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm $525.00 per person 10 participants maximum. Benefits may cover a portion of this group. Ask us for details. We will also have 2 zoom calls, one prior to this group for everyone to meet each other and set our safe container, and one after the group to check in with everyone. For more information and to register, email [email protected] or [email protected] Join us to drop some shit in the sand and make room for what is yet to come!

Another newsfeed worthy perspective and sunset. .. The barn feels spiritual to me and this seems to capture it. .. Grateful for beautiful sunsets, the people who trust the horses and I to walk with them through hard things, and some horse time for myself today.... ... What causes you to take pause and check in with yourself? Or helps you feel connected to something bigger the fastest? .. #equinetherapy #horses #therapyinabarn #sunset See more

Sending you warm wishes for the holidays from all of us here at the ranch!

And pause. .. Inhale. .. Exhale.... .. Repeat. See more

Ranch Dreaming... check in, update on events of the weekend, and upcoming stuff:)

Brett and I had the opportunity to chat with Carla on her podcast. It will be published Monday

We would love to gather interest in offering an equine youth group starting soon.

Was so fun doing this interview with Carla alongside my bullfighting life partner Brett:)

Reminiscing about warm fall evening sunsets... without snow. .. #horses #alberta #fall

Two spots left! .. We are so looking forward to this weekend of Horses and Deep Healing where participants can truly take pause and check in. .. On a Facebook Live earlier today we talked about Gestalt and how horses connect in this work. It is so difficult to put into words the experiences that people have, however it is clear that horses helps us in their own way to move through feelings held in the body and places, beliefs or past experiences where we are stuck.... .. We start with an intro/orientation virtual meeting on Wednesday evening then begin in the arena Friday evening. .. If you feel drawn to this weekend experience here at the ranch, or if you have more questions, message me @heardwellne55 or @equineenrichment. Would love to have you join us! .. #horses #equinetherapy #healing See more

What is Gestalt? And why horses?

Join us on Facebook Live at 10 this am.

Thankful for these ones today, among so many other things and people in this season. .. Just wrapped up a live on my business Facebook page, and let me walk you through what happened with this herd during it. .. At first, they were on the other side of the fence and were pretty jumpy. One horse (Boone) walked around the fence right up into my space, put his nose on my face (fogged up my glasses) checked out the camera, then walked away. And then this.... .. If you watched the live at all, you may have seen my energy go from nervous, excited, to slowing down. And if you did not see it, I definitely felt it... started out excited with goals and ideas on where it should go, went to nervous, fast, and then that nose slowed me right down. .. So humbling to have these ones catch me over and over when I am not in my body, or practicing what I talk about and bring me right back. Gotta say, I am grateful for the sweet whispers like this even if it was while broadcasting live;) .. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Sending you the warmth of a soft muzzle on the cheek. .. #horses #therapythroughhorses #equinetherapy See more

A Canadian Thanksgiving check in, reflections on gratitude and upcoming events.

Next weekend this time we will be midway through! Small group, horses, some laughs and some tears as we focus on deep check in, letting things go and preparing emotionally for this winter in particular. Message me if you have any questions or want to join the circle!

Horses and Deep Healing Gestalt Weekend Intensive is coming up. .. Join us (Angie and Amy) for a weekend of personal growth and healing centered around the wisdom of horses. .. Our goal is for participants to leave some shit in the sand and walk away feeling more grounded in who they truly are, and perhaps gaining a sense of connection and community along the way.... .. Feedback we have gotten is you can’t make this stuff up! It’s true... our horses are not trained to perform, rather encouraged to communicate through behaviour and we do our best to listen... and it can be beyond words or human understanding what or how they know what they know. .. In all my years of therapy, I have never moved this much. One person described what happens through this experiential horse work I knew it in my head, and they helped me to know it in my heart. .. Oct 16th - 6:30-9 Oct 17th - 9:30-4:30 Oct 18th - 9:30-4:30 Investment of $525 with benefits possibly covering a portion of your tuition. .. Message us @heardwellne55 or @equineenrichment to register! We would love to have you join our circle! .. #equinetherapy #deephealing #therapy #horsetherapy #healing #egcm See more

Pasture Live... not from the pasture! Talking about upcoming Horses and Gestalt Weekend mid October.

Orange Shirt Day. .. Tonight as a family we talked about this day and what it means including a bit of Phyllis Webstad’s story and why orange shirts. They shared what they learned about in school (which is so much more than I did - thank goodness, and I hope it just keeps getting more and more over time). .. I continue to unlearn and learn what reconciliation means. ... .. Honouring those who have experienced residential schools and or the impacts of them, and am grateful for those who have advocated, and continue to advocate, for every child to matter. .. See more

Some words from one of our past weekend equine and deep healing experiences. Thank you for sharing! Our next weekend of group equine gestalt work starts the evening of October 16, and runs all day the 17th and 18th. We would love to have you join us!!... Message me or go to the event on this page or Equine Enrichment for more information.

Spent the day @valleyridgegolfclub with @brettmonea and @equineenrichment for the Canadian Cowboy Classic golf tournament in support of the @cpr_sportmedteam . I have so much gratitude for the work these dedication professionals do in keeping rodeo athletes like my husband well and going down the road when it is safe to do so. .. One of the things I most admire about the team is not only the work they do to support physical health, but over the last few years the expanded tr...aining, support and awareness they have done for mental health. It is not separate, however mental health related struggles often require different professionals, so they expanded their resource base and have invested in a fuller picture of wellness for the athletes they serve. .. Great day, great event and great cause. The live auction portion of the fundraising efforts remain open on the event facebook page (search Canadian Cowboy Classic Golf Tournament) with various items for any member of your family or community. .. Thank you for having us and congratulations to the golfers, all of the organizers and people who contributed to the day. Well done! .. #mentalhealth #sportmedicine #fundraiser See more

Ringo bringing some laughs and extroverted excitement to group. .. Turns out horses too have their own personalities, just like members of teams. When we better understand each other and make space for the expression of gifts and needs within any group, relationships deepen. .. #teambuilding #facilitation #horses #relationship

This event is relatively new to the arena... it is a different sense of self awareness and growth than the calm equine co-facilitated work... a bit more excitement and adrenaline... It’s that feeling when you try something you never thought possible and or cheer someone else on to do so. Some people might call that feeling empowered or confidence. Anyways, super proud of one of our lead horse handlers Brett Monea and his team in seeing this come together!

A testimonial that we received Thank you so much for sharing these words. Our next Horses and Deep Healing weekend is October 16-18 (Friday evening, and during the days Saturday and Sunday).

@brettmonea and bovine friend introducing the Rafter U7 Ranch Youth Program set for an October launch. This program will follow the school year season (wrapping up in June) and combine our already successful Equine Youth Program with the idea of Farmer In Training for a dynamic ranch and wellness learning experience for youth. .. @equineenrichment, Brett and I are thrilled to see this starting to take shape! .. If you have a young person (13-17) in your life who is learnin...g from home this year and who has a particular interest in cattle and personal growth/mental health and wellness, message me. We have started a list of interested people as we prepare for formal launch. .. #ranchlife #equinetherapy #horsetherapy #mentalhealth #youth #ranchwellness #grounded #farmanimals #relationship #connecttolandanimalscommunityandself See more

Join us on the 13th to learn more about upcoming programming for youth and adults here at the ranch! Message me for more information or to join us!

Equine Youth Program being offered this fall in partnership with Equine Enrichment. 6 week programs for youth aged 13-15 and 16-17 available. Check out the events or message me for more info.

One of the newer events happening in the arena. It’s more the adrenaline side of personal growth and awareness, with many reporting and increased sense of empowerment and confidence at the end of the day. .. Brett is one of our key horse handler volunteers and in charge of the ranch side of Rafter U7 Ranch and Wellness Centre, the home of Heard Wellness Through Horses.

One of the things I got to do this summer is spend some time working on how I show up for horses. In our work I ask them to show up for people in emotional pain and so it only feels right that I continue to work on how I show up for them. .. Angie of Equine Enrichment introduced me to this idea of Relational Horsemanship and the work of Josh Nichol a number of years ago. I had been introduced to various methods of horsemanship over the years and was doubtful it would be much ...Continue reading

We wrapped up our Horses and Deep Gestalt weekend, and it was incredible! My heart is full with gratitude and joy, and admiration. The horses were magic and the people there... it truly was an honour to sit in that circle as a facilitator. Everyone showed up ready to drop some stuff in the sand and that we did. People reported feeling lighter, shifts in long held emotions and places of feeling stuck, and a difficult time putting into words what they experienced... this often... happens with this work as horses do not move in a verbal space, and experiential work is somatic, or in the body. Anyways, I am so grateful for every person who trusts me and us to be a part of their journey. I can not wait until the next circle!

If you feel like the open spot is yours, message us!

Celebrating and what is gestalt?

This weekend intensive us coming up soon! Join us and the horses! Registrations close Friday. Posted @withregram @equineenrichment Drop your shit in the sand! Many people have left heavy things in our sand and you can too! Two days for you to attend to things that hold you back from living your best life. Join us August 15 & 16. Email [email protected] to secure your spot. $485 per person. @heardwellne55 @equineenrichment #rafteru7ranch #deephealing #equinegestaltcoaching #connection #acceptance #safety #equinetherapy #healing #wellness

Curious about the upcoming weekend intensive? Join us on Zoom tonight at 7 for more information and to answer any questions you may have! Message me if you have any difficulties joining. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86126369063

In my home office prepping for our first pre site visit video call for our upcoming equine gestalt weekend intensive Aug 15 and 16. .. Message me if you want more info! I will share more details in my story today. .. Co-facilitated with @equineenrichment and the horses (of course!).... .. #equinetherapy #horses #therapy #healing #personalgrowth See more

One person’s reflections on their experience here at the ranch.

People have been asking about the upcoming weekend group intensive and what it's going to look like. Here is what I can tell you! About horses, what you might expect, etc.

Can you keep me safe? .. A question horses ask of their leaders, something I learned from Relational Horseman Josh Nichol. .. And, I have come to also know that this is the same question our children ask of us through their behaviours and our response to them, and I now wonder more and more about when I look at leaders.... .. Can you keep us safe? The people you are intending of proposing to lead... can you keep us all safe? Not keep us from avoiding conflict, but keep us safe or safely move us through the conflict? .. Horses know and there is so much to learn in how they show. .. #horses #leadership #equinetherapy See more

My #victorwalk was a bit non-traditional today. It wasn’t part of a march downtown in a big city (which can be incredibly moving and change influencing), rather part of a more virtual rally. It was out in the pasture with cattle. .. And it seems somewhat fitting... you see the Victor Walk is an annual walk to raise awareness about childhood sexual abuse. I have come to know that this experience is way more common than anyone would ever want or anticipate. .. The @breakingfr...eefoundation organizes this awareness campaign annually and works to support those impacted by trauma. .. And the truth is that trauma and abuse do not discriminate... urban and rurally, let’s continue to learn, talk and make it safer for those impacted, or victors to share their story and heal. The power that is gained in taking back a story, that is incredible. See more

Newsletter went out yesterday. Check it out here if you missed it!!!

Theme of saying yes to life - who shared it with me, how it’s up for me this week, and then meet Pigey the pigeon.

Live from the Pasture now:) Join us!

Lessons in self care. .. Self care, like true self care, is so easy to talk about yet can be a lot more work to really do. .. The last few weeks have been a lot of learning about myself in how quickly self care gets the back burner. I know this and then how quickly I forget.... .. And self care (in my opinion) is not just the joy or gentle regulating activities. It’s therapy. It’s getting up early and doing what you need to first, if there’s no chance to prioritize it in the day. .. Now, I am continually learning this the hard way. But today I am celebrating being the first one up in the house, and getting my time in with this guy first. .. Vitamin H with Ringo .. What can you prioritize today for you? Because you too matter. .. #horses #equinetherapy #horsetherapy #selfcare #naturetherapy #ranchlife See more

Monday at 12:30 we are resuming our Live from the Pasture series. Let us bring the farm to you! We will chat a bit about the work we do in the arena, who we are as a team and what it looks like. Join us for some laughs, discussion and thoughts. A little bit of a self check in and grounding. ... See you Monday!!!!

Attention Country Music Fans! Check out this drive in concert that benefits two organizations that are near and dear to us!

Alright team. Let’s go, it’s a work day!!!! .. Or just take your time, no problem;). .. Or what if rest is the work today!

First harvest of the season! .. Spent some time harvesting spinach and pulling weeds... which have also been doing amazing in our garden! .. While my partner made a comment about weeds getting out of control, I said it’s actually way easier to pull them when they are bigger and so are the planted seeds! And when the soul is watered.... .. Metaphor for life? I don’t know... but I do know that a recurring learning for me is to water the soil first. .. Have you learned anything about yourself while connecting to the land or food? .. #gardening #nature #outdoorhealing #connection See more

Check out this event coming up in a week at the ranch!

Join us at the ranch for this event!

A quick check in today!

Tonight I am providing an update, chatting about thoughts and reflections on current events, moving back into seeing clients in person and one way in which we see horses help.

This is an online event hosted by a friend and Occupational Therapist Sensational Path - Erin Grujic. Check it out if you wonder about the behaviour of your child and what might be happening underneath it all.

Join us here on Equine Enrichment page!

Join us at 2 today for our virtual version of our Ranch Connection group. We go live through Angie’s page and I share it here. Excited for the sun and being outside!!!

Turns out... it’s not going to work out as planned... and even though it is familiar a a parent, it is still super frustrating. .. I am supposed to be going live on Facebook after bedtime which I have been consistent with for some time now (Monday and Friday nights). I say it’s a moving target, because it is. Give or take an hour from 8:15. .. And tonight it’s past 9:30 and I am not sure I will make it on. ... .. This has been a rough night for bed time. Still here. Still trying to get it handled. .. Going to cut myself some grace, try again another day and get to bed myself:) .. Don’t be afraid to cut yourself some grace too! See more

"Mompass" - Needs and parenting.

Going live in... as long as it takes to get kids down! Thinking 8:30. Join me for this discussion about needs in terms of the relationship between parent and child. And not just the needs of the child.

Join us live on Angie Payne’s page.

Mompass Moment - a holiday Monday update and reflections on something I read from Glennon Doyle’s book Untamed. And then a grounding moment.

Join us live from the pasture

Tonight on Facebook Live I talked about what do you hold to when you doubt yourself or feel defeated? .. This is one of the things I hold to. #sunsets and knowing that the sun continues to rise and set every day. The time might change and whether I can see it or not, but it’s there. .. What do you hold to when it gets hard? Is it faith? Certain people? Daily practices?

Mompass: How do you keep going when you feel like you can’t? What do you turn to when you start to doubt? Then we will take a deep breath and re-center.

Let's chat about finding calm in uncertainty and times of fear. How horses may help us to do that, and some ideas on how.

Just getting settled to go live at 8:30 for our Friday Mompass check in. Focus will be on finding the calm and quiet in times of fear and uncertainty. Join me for 15 mins (or less) of chatting about what horses can tell us about this, why it matters, and some ideas on how to find it/feel it.