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Experience Versus Competence: What Do We Certify?

Experience Versus Competence: What Do We Certify?

by | Jul 21, 2025 | Basics of Natural Lifemanship, Business, Equine Assisted Trainings

What Does It Really Mean to Be Certified?

When we launched the Natural Lifemanship (NL) Certification Program in 2016, we asked ourselves two important questions:

What does it mean to be NL certified? And what exactly are we certifying?

Many of us had been studying the Neurosequential Model with Dr. Bruce Perry. In our discussions, we kept returning to something he emphasized repeatedly when speaking about certification. He was clear that his program was designed to provide people with the experiences they needed to learn and apply the Neurosequential Model. However, he also acknowledged that the degree to which someone became competent in using the model was beyond the scope of what his program could evaluate.

Dr. Perry stated plainly: his certification program certified experience, not competence.

That framing deeply resonated with us. From the very beginning, Natural Lifemanship has taken the same stance:

We certify experience. We do not certify competence.

Competence Is a Moving Target

When we invest in our growth and learning, of course we want to become competent. With competence comes effectiveness and also confidence. We feel more capable, we know what we are doing, we achieve good outcomes, and as a result, we find our work rewarding and enjoyable.

However, what it takes to be competent changes with time and context. Just as you can never stand in the same river twice, you can never be assured that the knowledge and skills you possess right now will be sufficient to effectively deal with a situation you encounter tomorrow or a year from now.

True competence requires continual growth. One has never entirely “arrived.”

That said, accomplishments along the way are important. They demonstrate the extent of one’s dedication and striving to continually learn and grow. They show that you are moving along a path.

And at NL, being on the path is more important than reaching the end of it.

Engagement Prevails Over Competence

As a model that is deeply geared toward development—personal development, professional development, and even neurodevelopment—we are not in the business of asking, “Are you competent?” or, “Can you do this or that?“

Those are binary distinctions: yes or no; can or cannot. But real growth is a long process, with ups and downs, successes and failures.

The one essential criterion for growth is ongoing engagement. So instead, we ask: Are you engaged?

Engagement can be measured by both how often you show up and how you show up. You cannot be engaged if you do not show up at all. And once you do show up, the quality of your presence determines what you gain from any experience.

It is the quantity and quality of your experiences that reflect your level of engagement.

This is why our certification process is exactly that—a process.

Engaging in experiences over time is more meaningful to us than demonstrating competence at a single moment in time.

Milestones, Not Endpoints

While your learning and growth with NL will never end (at least we hope they don’t!), we would love to help you celebrate and share your milestones and achievements along the way. That is why we are now very pleased to offer digital credentials.

These new digital badges and certificates of completion are earned when you reach certain milestones in the certification journey:

  • When you complete the Fundamentals of NL, you are considered Level 1 Trained.
  • When you complete the NL Intensive, you are considered Level 2 Trained.

The more experiences you engage in with us, the more badges you’ll earn. This is not intended to be a “token economy” or a system of rewards. Rather, it is a way to demonstrate a level of engagement and commitment.

Looking Ahead

We will be dedicating some future blogs to this subject as we aim to help EAS consumers better understand what to look for when choosing a practitioner.

These upcoming pieces will explore what our credentials actually represent, how they reflect experience and engagement, and why that matters when you’re seeking care rooted in connection and development.

We look forward to continuing the conversation, and we are honored to walk alongside you.

 

“So… Are You a Horse Whisperer?”: Demystifying Equine-Assisted Mental Health

“So… Are You a Horse Whisperer?”: Demystifying Equine-Assisted Mental Health

by | Jul 15, 2025 | Basics of Natural Lifemanship, Business

What Do You Actually Do With the Horses?

One of the hardest things about working in the field of equine-assisted services is answering this simple question: “What exactly do you do?”

What I do as a licensed mental health counselor can feel like a riddle sometimes. When I tell people I integrate horses into the counseling process, their minds often jump to a common image: therapeutic riding. While therapeutic riding programs are wonderful and do amazing work, what we offer in equine-assisted mental health services is quite different.

Our Unique Approach

Imagine a conversation:

Curious Person: “So, what exactly do you do?”

Me: “I’m a licensed mental health counselor, and sometimes I integrate horses into therapy. We work on the same goals you’d pursue in a traditional office setting, like managing anxiety, depression, ADHD, or PTSD. The big difference? Our ‘office’ is often outdoors, and we approach those goals in a unique way with horses.”

Curious Person: “Oh yeah! I think there’s a program like that down the road.”

(Usually, they’re referring to a therapeutic riding program for children with special needs.)

Me: “That’s a fantastic program, and I actually spent over ten years certified in therapeutic riding – I love it! But our work is distinct. Therapeutic riding is an adaptive sport, focusing on riding skills and physical benefits. Our work, on the other hand, is about mental health and personal growth. About 80% of what we do happens on the ground, and our goals are never about riding or horsemanship skills—they’re rooted in mental health. They’re always about the client’s emotional well-being and relational patterns.”

It’s Not About Grooming (Mostly!) – It’s About Connection

Another common question surfaces quickly:

Curious Person: “So then what do you do with the horses? Just groom them?”

Me: “Sometimes grooming is part of it, but the core of our work revolves around the relationship between the horse and the person. We believe that true healing happens within the context of safe, connected relationships. The way that relationship is built with the horse is incredibly important.”

“We guide and support our clients as they learn to forge a deeply attuned relationship with a horse – one built on trust, consent, mutual respect, clear communication, appropriate boundaries, and genuine connection. These aren’t just feel-good words; they’re the foundational principles we practice every session.”

Beyond “Horse Whisperer”: Embracing “Horse Listening”

The ‘horse whisperer’ question almost always comes up, often with a slight giggle from my end.

Curious Person: “So, are you like a horse whisperer?”

Me: “Well, kinda. But I prefer to say it’s about horse listening. We learn to listen to the horse, and in doing so, we learn to listen more deeply to ourselves. Then, we learn how to respond intentionally and authentically to what we’ve heard.”

Now, as a professional in this field, I want to be clear: no self-respecting horse person claims to be a ‘horse whisperer.’ The term is Hollywood-glamorized and implies some secret, innate gift. However, I understand why the layperson uses it – it suggests a gentle, close, and seemingly magical communication with horses. And in that sense, it does get us closer to understanding what happens in our sessions.

You might observe a client asking a horse to follow them without a lead rope, simply through their body language and energy. You might see them walking in perfect sync or engaging in what looks like a beautiful dance as the client asks the horse to move away and then return. The communication is often subtle, nuanced, and incredibly gentle – so subtle, in fact, you might struggle to see it at all. Some might call this ‘horse whispering.’

Demystifying Attuned Relationships: The Heart of Our Mission

Here’s our core belief: Anyone can learn to communicate this way if they’re willing to do the personal work required.  Attuned communication isn’t reserved for a gifted few. It’s learnable. It’s teachable. And most importantly—it transfers.

Our mission is to demystify attuned relationships, not just with horses, but with everyone. There are no hidden secrets—just sound relationship principles, practiced over time with support and intention. The profound lessons clients learn in building a respectful, consensual, and communicative relationship with a horse seamlessly transfer to all other relationships in their lives.

Horses are incredible partners. If we allow them, they will show us exactly how our internal and emotional states, and our resulting behaviors, affect others. With the right therapeutic support, they provide the perfect, safe space to practice new, healthier ways of being in relationship – with ourselves and with the people around us.

Ready to Go Deeper? Train and Certify with Natural Lifemanship

If something about this work speaks to you—if you’re drawn to the power of healing through relationship, connection, and the wisdom of horses—maybe it’s time to take the next step.

At Natural Lifemanship, we offer a clear and supported path to training and certification for professionals in mental health, education, coaching, and other helping and healing professions. Our approach integrates the neuroscience of relationships, the art of attunement, and grounded, trauma-informed principles to help you facilitate meaningful, lasting change for others—and for yourself.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to deepen your current practice, certification with Natural Lifemanship offers:

  • A comprehensive, research-backed framework
  • Practical tools and embodied learning experiences
  • A vibrant, supportive community of like-minded professionals
  • Opportunities for personal growth and professional transformation

This isn’t just a training—it’s a way of being in the world. And we’re here to walk alongside you as you learn to build connection that heals.

👉 Ready to begin your journey? Explore our full certification pathway here:
naturallifemanship.com/certifications

You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to do the work—and we’ll help guide the way.

 

 

 

Work is Always Going to Feel Like Work

Work is Always Going to Feel Like Work

by | May 9, 2024 | Business

There’s this popular saying that goes like this: Find what you love to do, and you’ll never work a day in your life. Do you know that one?

This phrase is inspiring and motivational, but it oversimplifies the reality of building and running a sustainable business. Yes, it’s so, so important to do work that lights you up. If you’re reading this blog post, it’s likely you’ve already found it. You know that working with clients and equine partners, in a natural setting, to facilitate healing is what you were called to do here on this earth. That part of the popular saying makes sense to most of us.

It’s the second part that’s a little tricky. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love what I do, and it still feels like work every single day. In fact, I’d say I work even harder as a business owner doing what I love to do than I ever did when working for someone else.

Debunking the Myth

When I talk with people who stick it out in this field, no one claims that it doesn’t feel like work. People leave soul crushing corporate jobs or other roles that don’t fuel their passions in order to start a business offering Equine Assisted Services. Before they know it, they’re working harder than they ever did in that corporate job, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s like parenting. Parents say there is nothing that’s so exhausting as having a child—no job has ever been harder or more stressful, they’ve never had to worry about finances the way they do as a parent, they have sleepless nights and experience constant worry. And in the same breath they will say, “Oh, but I would never have it any other way.”

That goes for us in this business, too. It’s extremely hard, it creates stress and worry sometimes. It feels like work. But there’s nothing more mindblowingly worth it than this.

Work the Business, Don’t Let It Work You

The difference between people who succeed in this field and those who don’t make it is learning to love (or at least tolerate) running the business. This means finding enjoyment in the things that make the business hum, whether that’s contracts and insurance, marketing, human resources issues, or grant writing.

If the only thing you love is doing the work, your best bet truly is to go work for someone else. But if you want the flexibility and freedom of running your own business, then you have to figure out how to make your business work for you, so it doesn’t work you over.

When the business is set up correctly and running smoothly, you get to do more of the work that lights you up. Making sure your business is sustainable, profitable, and compliant is a necessary part of continuing to do the hands-on work that feeds your soul.

Built to Last

While the saying “Find what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” is comforting, it’s not the reality for most of us. Building and running a business is hard work, even when it’s rooted in your passion and purpose. The key is to love what you do enough to embrace the entire journey—challenges and all.

If you would like support in creating a business that is built to last, I invite you to check out our Business Building Master Class. In this 15-week course (there is also a 6-week version of the course), you’ll learn what worked (and what didn’t work!) for Shannon Knapp and yours truly, in our EAS businesses. You will also learn from many other successful EAS business owners who have maintained their own businesses for decades. Shannon and I have helped many equine-assisted practitioners build businesses across the country and throughout the world, and are so excited to make this course available to you.

Building a business is hard work, but it doesn’t have to be done alone. I hope you’ll join us.

Developing Secure Attachment with Your Business

Developing Secure Attachment with Your Business

by | May 6, 2024 | Applied Principles, Business

This Sunday we celebrate those who mother – all of those who have given birth to beautiful new things and nurtured those already in existence.  Those who have fully embraced and bravely unleashed the kind of creative, nurturing energy that supports, grows, heals, and then releases.  

I am a mother in the more traditional sense and I do very much love this role, but my children are not the only ones I mother. 

Lately, with the release of the Business Building Master Class, I have been thinking a lot about this business that Tim and I birthed back in 2010.  I have thought about the birth pains, the growing pains, the complete bliss, and the utter heartbreak that this child has brought us. 

In one of the interviews we did for the Business Building Master Class, Sara Sherman with Discovery Horse shared some of her thoughts about how we build a secure attachment, a healthy relationship, with this being called. . . our business.

Attachment Theory & Building a Business

I LOVE attachment theory.  When it comes to being a mother, wife, therapist, sister, friend, daughter, and animal steward, the attachment world is my guiding light.  BUT the first time I heard  Sara mention this idea of having a secure attachment to our business, I lost my breath for a moment.  The attachment theory lens had not yet extended to my role as a business owner.  I think I said, “Sh**!  I’m totally enmeshed with this baby!” 

For so many of us, our EAS businesses are passion projects, and they can become all consuming.  We can unwittingly become profoundly anxious, entangled or enmeshed – terms often used to describe one type of  insecure attachment – with our mission, our vision, and our business.  For others, the overwhelm we feel can lead to more avoidant behaviors that cause us to freeze, procrastinate, or check out – a more dismissive attachment to our business.  

Separating Your Business from Your Own Identity

Sara’s first suggestion, as we begin to practice secure relating with our business,  is that we let the business truly be its own entity.  What do I need? What does the business need?  These are separate questions and each has different answers.  In conversations with employees or funders, these are also separate.  “The business needs. . .”  When someone does not meet this need, it’s not personal.  This small shift has been powerful for me.

I am still trying very hard to practice secure relating with this entity called Natural Lifemanship, this absolutely stunning being we have lovingly birthed, nurtured, attuned to, and grown.  It’s a work in progress for sure.  The soft flexibility and balance between nurture and structure, closeness and distance, attunement and differentiation, and discipline and delight takes so much grit, and such a vulnerable exploration of our own story.     

Listen First, Then Respond

In a conversation I recently had with Tamasin Thomas, who Shannon and I will be chatting with in a webinar next week called, “Money Mindset:  How Business, Money, and Your Story are Uniquely Connected” we discussed the importance of attuning to our business.  We birth the business, and then in order to build a secure attachment with it, we first and foremost must protect it and then attune to it. (The first 2 pillars of secure attachment from a book I love called Attachment Disturbances in Adults).  

Tamasin said, “Our business will tell us what it needs to grow and thrive if we listen to it.” We must first listen and then respond, and this response will certainly require that we employ all of our skills,  knowledge,  life experience,  and so much heart and soul.    

AND this is why we created the Business Building Master Class.  It is our desire that you have the information, knowledge, and support you need to be responsive and flexible in your relationship with your business.  

Mothering transforms us  

While many have had spiritual awakenings at the top of a mountain or in the depths of the sea,  I think the most profound metamorphosis happens in the grueling dark of the night, with an inconsolable baby, yet another dirty diaper, an aching body that can hardly move, and the kind of exhaustion where you really think you might die. Those nights when you can’t feel your fingers for the cold, or the heat is crushing your body, when one more fence is down, one more horse is injured, one more client struggles to stay alive, and for you to make payroll or purchase another load of hay will require a miracle.  

Those nights when we think that there is no way to carry on, but our love, our purpose, and our connection to those who have come before us, those who are in it with us, and those who will come after us, somehow helps us show up when we staunchly believe we can’t.  

Those nights transform us.  

In those moments, when we know that we are not alone, we become stronger and softer, and more secure in our attachment.  It is in those moments, when we have the support we need, that we become part of an army of Mamas that are making this world a better place.

If you are looking for support and guidance as you mother your own business, take a look at our Business Building Master Class. We were not made to mother alone – it takes a village.  

Mothering is, by far, the highest calling.  Happy Mother’s Day to all of those who mother.  Today, I honor you.   

 
 

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