You may have heard of the Natural Lifemanship Connection Kits and you may be wondering what, exactly, they are, what purpose they serve, and for whom.
We created the Connection Kits to fill a need in our community of equine-assisted practitioners – a need that emerged again and again during the course of consultations. As is often the case with useful tools, our Connection Kits have been discovered by many folks outside of the EAS community as well, including school counselors, therapists who work in a more traditional setting, and even clients!
Built with a purpose
Our co-founder, Bettina Shultz-Jobe, found herself describing the ways she incorporates rhythm to build regulation and relationship within and between humans and horses during sessions. She would refer to various tools she would use for that purpose as well as concrete activities, and she would always explain the science that supports the activities and, in fact, everything we do in NL.
She came to realize that one of the biggest ways that we could support our community is by packaging these tools and resources into ready-made kits accompanied by instructional courses that explain how and why we use the tools to promote regulation, healing, growth, and connection for our clients and our horses, whether we are working inside or outdoors.
So, we created the kits! We incorporated our knowledge of science, healthy brain development, and the power of the horse-human relationship with easy-to-use tools that help organize, integrate, and regulate the brain and body and build deeper connections. We call these tools, the Natural Lifemanship Connection Kits – Tools Designed to Enhance Your Equine-Assisted Practice.
These kits provide you with the same tools our expert professionals use at Natural Lifemanship, and hours of guided education including video demonstrations with our beloved horses, to ensure the tools are used safely and effectively. Most tools can be used in a traditional office setting, outside in nature, and with or without horses.
Who uses the Connection Kits? How do I know if they are for me?
If you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, then the Connection Kits are for you!
Are you:
A professional who provides equine-assisted services?
A parent of school-aged children?
A teacher?
A mental health professional?
A helping professional who works with people who have experienced trauma?
Someone who works with youth?
Someone who works with seniors?
Interested in learning how to regulate your own nervous system and how to help others regulate theirs?
Interested in understanding the science behind the techniques?
Do you:
Appreciate having tools and concrete activities ready and available to use when working with others?
Appreciate the convenience of video instruction so you can learn on your own schedule?
Value the ability to earn CE credits (from NBCC)?
Know somebody who fits any of the descriptions listed here and want to give them an absolutely amazing, one-of-a-kind holiday gift – the kind of gift that keeps on giving?
Really, each kit has something unique to offer. It may be helpful to hear a little about how some of our customers have used the kits and for what purposes.
Essential Connection Kit
The Essential Connection Kits are the most inclusive, containing many different tools and activities to regulate each region of the brain and to promote connection. This kit comes with 16 hours of instructional videos delivered in a course that offers 11.5 CE Credits.
The Essential Connection Kit is transportable, too! It comes neatly organized and packaged in a tote that you can take with you and use in an office, a school, and even outside.
This kit has been most popular with the equine-assisted practitioners (both therapists and coaches) who use our model. It has also been very popular with school counselors. We’ve had several districts buy one for each of their counselors to use with their students. Some counselors have also shared their kits and their knowledge of how to use them with the teachers at their schools. One school counselor reported that she has used the kit for her therapy groups at school, teaching regulation skills throughout the year.
The Essential Connection Kit activities can fit very easily into a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program if teachers and counselors choose to use it this way, as it promotes knowledge and skills related to how the brain works and bottom-up regulation.
Drum Connection Kit
The Drum Connection Kit comes with a Remo Bahia Buffalo Drum and nearly 5 hours of video instruction (and 4.5 CE credits) demonstrating ways to incorporate drumming to regulate the brain.
If all you want is the drum, we encourage you to head on over to Remo to purchase it. However, if you want the drum AND the online course with CE credits, you’ll want to buy it from us. Lots of folks have purchased this kit, including equine professionals and coaches. If you want to incorporate drumming into your work, the NL Drum Connection Kit makes it super simple.
Rhythm Bell Connection Kit
The Rhythm Bell Connection Kit is, surprisingly, the number one kit that is purchased by clients because they love them so much.
When therapists and other practitioners use the Rhythm Bells in sessions, clients fall in love with them because they are such a great regulation tool. They also really help people come into connection. For this reason, we’ve used them a lot in mounted work and have created multiple ways that these handcrafted bells can attach to the client’s clothing and the horse’s mane or saddle.
Another surprising fact is how many of our therapists like to use the bells in an office setting. We even have one client who wears these while walking during telehealth sessions. The Rhythm Bell course offers 2.5 CE credits.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Connection Kit
Finally, the Do-It-Yourself Connection Kit is also a great option, especially if you already have a collection of tools similar to the ones we package. The DIY Connection Kit gives you ALL of the downloadable instructions and resources you need to build your own Essential Kit. It includes the course and all the videos. It also includes the Drum Connection Kit course. It does not include any of the physical items that are demonstrated, but it gives you the information you need to purchase your own.
Because it includes both the Essential and the Drum Kit courses, the DIY Kit offers a total of 16 CE credits. It also is available to NL Members at a very steep discount.
How much do our customers love these kits? We’ll let them tell you in their own words.
The drum kit absolutely drives home the concept of bottom up regulation. After this course, I feel like I can confidently take these activities into my work with clients. Thank you!
– Ashley M Stavig
I love using the drum and bell kits with clients who have trauma. These are fundamental tools that give clients a ‘language’ (sound, movement) that makes sense of their world. These tools help me see, without the pressure of words, the client’s trauma. Essential for trauma work!!
– Jan Stump, MSW PEACE Ranch
I was able to understand the science behind the tools in each box [of the Essential Connection Kit]. I was able to see how to practically use the tools in a therapeutic setting.
– Christi Lundby, LPC-S, LCDC
Practicing walking with the bell and riding with the bell on me and my horse gave me an understanding of how my body is responding that is beyond anything I have ever felt before. It is not the regulation that was most important; it is the integration. Amazing.
– Marilee Donovan Dual Certified in NL
The Drum Connection Kit Course was both educational and fun. It was not only full of pertinent information, but it was easy to follow with demonstrations that I can use right away in my program. I loved learning how the progression of activities using the drum achieved full brain engagement. It was easy to follow and fun to watch.
– Claudia Alesi, Certified Equine Assisted Coach
It [essential connection kits] was all valuable. I appreciated the raccoon circle because I have a family that is struggling and I believe this will help show how important it is to connect and work together.
– Anonymous Customer
I have been a therapist for over ten years. Natural Lifemanship is the best therapeutic model that I have integrated into my practice. NL has provided me with the science and practical instruction to immediately improve my skills as a therapist with an equine partner or without. A sound principle is a sound principle resonates with me in all client/therapist relationships.
– Christi Lundby, LPC-S, LCDC
I do not generally respond to music and drumming is sometimes annoying, so I was not prepared to be amazed by the benefits of the bells. I wear a bell each morning when I go to turn the horses out and often I wear a bell when cleaning the barn and feeding. It is a mindfulness practice above all others. I had to work initially to have a rhythm but once found it is comforting and rewarding. Riding my horse with the bells generates another level of connection and we have a great connection already. Now when the horses hear me coming with the bell on they often come up and touch the bell on my clothing to say good morning. I would recommend this to any NL professional to deepen their own understanding of their body and of connection and integration.
– Marilee Donovan, Dual Certified in NL
I loved everything about the [Essential Connection Kit] course, very helpful and that it’s not just for psychologists but for teachers, parents, foster parents, equine professionals, etc.
– Anonymous Customer
Natural Lifemanship never ceases to amaze me with their dedication to incorporating both the art and science of connection, and the way this leads to healing and growth!
– Melissa McMullen, LSW, Equine Therapist at One Heart Stables with the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio
I am just beginning to learn about Natural Lifemanship, so everything [in the Essential Connection Kit] was valuable to me. It was very educational. I really love the demonstrations. They are easy to follow and I can’t wait to use them in my program.
– Claudia Alesi, Certified Equine Assisted Coach
We LOVE our Connection Kits and are so delighted that our community loves them, too. We love hearing about the creative ways people are putting these kits to use, and of course how they are working out.
If you already own a Connection Kit, please join our Connection Kit forum in our community so you can share ideas and resources with other Connection Kit owners.
Have questions about the Connection Kits? Leave them below and our team will get back with you.
“We believe in the important work of Natural Lifemanship and have been coming together in prayer about how we can help you expand. Could we help you get a place for your headquarters?”
A place.
A gift of place. . .
This was the beginning of a conversation Tim and I had with Dawn and Ron Robson, with That’s the Dream Farm, over a year ago. This was the beginning of the promise of land––of a place to shape and form and transform us––all of us.Here a powerful partnership and kinship began.
These words put into motion a sacred promise for, and to, our growing community, because place builds people.Place builds tribes.The longing for and love of place is profoundly human, and akin to our most basic need for belonging.
We Had No Specific Place
For years people have told us that they wanted to come to a training at “The Natural Lifemanship place.”
The problem? We have never had just one place.
Through the years over 50 different people/organizations have hosted our trainings.They have cared for us, contributed to the accessibility and furthering of this powerful work, and rich relationships have been built.Indeed, many of my closest friends were met through these partnerships.
However, in 2020 much of our training was moved online as we pivoted during the Pandemic.This allowed for a depth and breadth of learning not possible before.
The shift to online learning was great. . . mostly.
As more and more connections and communications were made virtually, I felt untethered at times.We found ourselves longing for an NL home like never before.In our increasingly virtual world, we learned that place matters now more than ever.
More than ever.
Not just any kind of place but one we can call home—and one we can build with you in mind.
(By the way, regional trainings at our amazing partner sites will certainly continue.)
Place Matters
Intuitively, we know that place matters, that the actual land on which we stand shapes us and that we shape it.Eric Weiner, author of The Geography of Bliss, says that “Where we are affects who we are.” He has spent many years researching how our actual location affects our creativity, our spirituality, and our happiness.
We find that at certain places time is expansive and connection is all that matters.These places change us and gift us the inspiration needed to create; a work of art, a new relationship, a new life.We are inspired to heal and guide others as they do the same.
The wide open spaces in the Panhandle of Texas, the Grand Canyon, Hanging Lakes in Colorado, the waters of Juniper Run, the castles of Germany, and the mountains of Austria are some of these places for me––sacred ground that has the power to transcend our relationship with time, with ourselves, and with the Divine.
I believe sometimes the very ground calls out “come here and be transformed.” These are the places that tether us to each other, to this life, to those who came before us, and those who will follow.
We need places like this.
Place Deepens Connection
Tim often tells the story of when his oldest daughter moved to Utah and he had not yet seen where she was living.His mind was not at peace until he visited her and saw the places in which she moved on a daily basis.He needed to see and feel her home.He felt uneasy until he could place her when he thought of her.
I too have felt this with our children. Sending our kids to school during the pandemic was just gut-wrenching, partially because we could not see where they would be spending their day.
Both of our children have done better with separation when they have seen where we are working.Our little girl once said with tears in her eyes, “but I don’t know where you’ll be!,” as I left for work.Our internal sense of connection and safety is stronger when we can place others.
Eric Weiner cites research done in Finland that found that 82% of phone conversations contain some version of the question “Where are you?”If I’m on a zoom call in a new environment, people almost always ask me “Where are you?”
Why do people ask this?Why does it matter?
Why do people ask to train at “The Natural Lifemanship place?”
I think it’s because we can better connect when we can place the person with whom we are seeking connection.For example, I find it harder to connect with a person who has a fake or blurred out background on zoom.By contrast, at our virtual Grief and Love conference we wanted a very intimate, community experience so I met with attendees in our living room.
We are not just individual beings wandering the world, but connected creatures existing in a specific context.Our context matters.Where we are, how we connect with the environment around us, the places that we belong to—all influence who we are, how we feel, and how we connect with each other.
Connection is predicated on finding our place and allowing ourselves to be placed.It is our hope that moving forward, as an organization, you can always place us.
So, a Place Was Purchased
After a ton of searching, That’s the Dream Ranch, LLC closed on 73 acres just outside of Brenham, Texas in November of 2021.The most magical creek you have ever seen splits and borders the property.The main meeting place, with antique furniture and a wrap-around porch, overlooks a lovely pond and a hay pasture.The covered arena is straight up dreamy and is overlooked by a conference room, full of windows and too many chandeliers.A quaint 12 bedroom Inn is nestled up against the creek, and all I can say is that I am in love.All kinds of intelligent and majestic trees create little spaces all over the property that call us to come, and sit, and be.
However, there is plenty of work to be done, and so construction has been initiated to create a place for you–– a sacred and fertile place for healing, growth, change, and transcendence.This place will be all about experience and all about home––the kind of home you carry in your heart, that connects you to your core self–– a self that is part of the landscape you occupy, part of a larger body committed to making the world a better place.
Natural Lifemanship is a community with roots, and now we get to build a home.A place where you can find us, be with us. A place where we belong together.
The Healing of Place
Place has the power to do all kinds of amazing things, but with power comes great responsibility.
As clinicians, our personal healing is the foundation for doing healing work with others––the same is true of the land.Place has the power to be the beginning of new life if our love of place is fierce, so fierce that we will do the hard work of restoration.The hard work of healing.
With the help of That’s the Dream Ranch and in partnership with Leopold Land Management and the National Resources Conservation Service (a USDA agency) a major transformation is underway––demolition or repurposing of the things that no longer serve us, pruning, planting, and lots and lots of nurture.We are committed to the messiness and the absolute beauty of healing.We are committed to you.
At Natural Lifemanship, it has always been about a way of being in the world. About principles and values.
Therefore, we are building a place, a home, with the same intentions.Our place—guided by our values where connection is seen and felt in everything we do.
And in our place, we are preparing a place for you.
Save the Date!
The Natural Lifemanship Conference “Sacred Landscapes: Honoring the Places Within Us and Around Us” will take place April 12th – 15th in 2023. Registration opens soon and we hope you can join us.
Rarely do we experience collective grief that moves beyond ourselves, our families, our communities, and across oceans.
This past year was an exception.
While each individual visit from grief varied in depth and time, the shared experience of having met under similar circumstances gifted us with opportunities for connecting on a much deeper level.
In pulling apart the pieces that make the experience of grief complex, I have found that love and grief are indeed connected—either one not fully existing without the other.
As author, theologian, activist, and storyteller Stephen Jenkinson puts it,
“love is a way of grieving that which has not yet slipped away.”
We needn’t look far behind us to see that the things we grieve, were the things we loved first. That without having loved, we would not grieve at all.About this most of us agree, but Stephen Jenkinson argues that love is also grief.As a woman married to an older man and as a mother of young children, I am all too aware of the impermanence of love every time I hug my husband and snuggle my little ones to sleep.I know this too will pass.Yes, love is also grief – about this, I am sure.For me, the Pandemic heightened this awareness.It was a hard year.At times, love and wonder had to be stolen, in seconds, minutes. . . Before moving forward on the path that follows the recent pandemic, let us glance over our shoulder at the ways in which the past year revealed our interdependence, our similarities, and our shared journey.
Reflecting on 2020
At the start of 2020, the Natural Lifemanship Institute was thriving—or so we thought. We were leading the way in the field of Equine Assisted Services, and were training practitioners in-person in Trauma-Focused EAP and Trauma-Informed EAL.Our passion and practice was fulfilling a purpose – we were living the dream.Truly!
As word spread of a virus potentially impacting our communities, we believed like many others that the threat would soon disappear, as similar threats had in the past. Yet as quickly as the name Covid-19 overtook the airways, the devastating virus rocked our business, our livelihood, and the world.
The loss was sudden, the effects longstanding, and the impact, in my opinion, lifelong. As practitioners in the field of mental health, we recognized the trauma in ourselves, and in those around us—and we responded.
We knew the need for teachers and professionals in our field would increase as more people around the world experienced the grief of losing that which they loved—family members, friends, businesses, jobs, homes, community, celebrations, affection, and more.
The grief was growing as quickly as the impact of Covid-19, and we evolved in response.During lock-down, with young children at home, no childcare, and no school, our trainings intensified to meet the needs of practitioners and clients, and our courses moved online to increase accessibility and convenience, as each experience required unique accommodations.We had to quickly let go of how we taught and connected with our students for almost 10 years and embrace the unknown.You can read between the lines as you recall your experience during this time, but uncertainty, unrest, fear, and grief touched us all —it was surreal.
But today Natural Lifemanship provides virtual trainings that meet the requirements for NL certification, and hosts intimate, in-person trainings throughout the country to help ease the burden of traveling in this new world.
Lessons on grief, loss, connection and community
The global pandemic helped to support the belief that grief and love are truly connected.
In fact, grief permeates nearly every aspect of our lives as we move through seasons of love and loss. How do we find joy in the lingering shadow of grief that follows everything and everyone we love? In one another, and the shared experiences we have as human beings.
While Covid-19 brought with it destruction and devastation, it also provided us with a rare opportunity to experience a collective loss, and initiate a shared grieving process. For far too long, in Western culture, grief has been an isolated experience usually impacting one person, family, or community.
In 2020, however, the same fears and feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, and loss were shared throughout the world. Whether we realized it or not, grief connected us, and in that there was a bigger effort to empathize, connect, and lend a hand.
For a moment, we were one people facing the same challenge, and reassuring one another as we walked an unknown path together.Just maybe, 2020 brought us back to experiencing grief the way it was intended —in community, among others, and in the context of connected relationships.
A Natural Life: Love & Grief Are Connected
As we continued to evolve our practice and support other practitioners in their own healing journeys, we chose to host a special kind of conference this year—one that acts as an experience for all who attend.Via a path we walk together.
A Natural Life: Love & Grief Are Connectedis where we make a collective date with grief from where we are on our journey. Designed for everyone, regardless of experience and background, this 2.5 day event will bring together a community of helpers and healers from all over the world, to guide us in the art of grieving.
We will partake in healing practices and other experiential activities together, and hear from speakers whose expertise on the topics of grief and healing will inspire us, help us heal, and increase our impact on our clients, and in the world.
Whether we recognize it or not, we are always in a season of both love and grief.
On July 23rd, 24th, and 25th we will simply come together to connect our grief, our love, and expand upon our abilities to support our own healing, and that of our clients or loved ones.
A collective grief and healing process
Just as we found comfort in the shared experience of a global pandemic, we can also find it in the healing process that follows.
As we turn our gaze forward, and walk in our grief towards that which looks unfamiliar, our hope is that we recognize those walking beside us. That we acknowledge them on their journey, feel less alone, and support one another in accessing the endless love that exists within.
We are all new to this path—let’s walk it together.
Learn more about the Natural Lifemanship way…
#1Take some of our courses.We offer many low cost, single purchase courses and videos for those just wanting to get an idea of what’s out there.Many of our courses offer CE credits through NBCC and NAADAC.Many courses are also part of NL Membership or can be purchased by members at steep discounts.Check out our courses here.
#2 Follow along for FREE!We offer an array of free content online through webinars, blogs, and videos – you can do any or all of the following to stay connected and up to date on NL happenings!
Visit our website www.naturallifemanship.com to explore blogs and other content.Seriously, so much can be gleaned from our blogs!
Sign up for a free introductory membership and gain access to educational videos and a new free video each month.
Follow our YouTube Channel for free video content! This is a great place to begin understanding how the relationship between horse and person progresses, organically and over time, utilizing NL principles.Watch this video first and then follow the progress made with Annie and Abilene.
Now that you’ve completed your Fundamentals Training, you may be wondering. . . Where Do I Go From Here? There are a variety of options that you may choose from in order to best meet your learning goals. We want to stay connected – in whichever way suits your needs!
We have found that most people fall into one of three categories:
#1 I’m all in!
This is my home, these are my peeps – no doubt I’m all in! Certification? YES! Conferences? I’ll be there! NL Products to support my practice? Sign me up! Webinars, youtube, free stuff? I’m watching all of it!
#2 I’m all in! BUT I need to take it slow.
I believe in NL, want to be a part of this community, and want to keep learning. #1 is just a bit too “ALL IN” for me. 😉
#3 I’m not quite sure if NL is right for me OR my resources are limited right now.
I really enjoyed my training, but I’m still deciding if I want to delve deeper with NL. Or I definitely enjoyed my training, but currently my ability to invest time and money is limited.
I’M ALL IN!
First of all, WELCOME!
I’m a bit biased, but I think our community is the best! We’re passionate! We’re committed to our personal growth and our professional development! Together we’re creating a world where connection and the value of healthy relationships is seen and felt in everything we do! What more can I say?
So, here’s what you need to do next:
#1 Register for the upcoming NL Intensive training.
The NL Intensive is the most thorough training we have ever put out there. It’s an online course with in-person options. In this training you integrate and more deeply implement everything you learned in the Fundamentals of NL so that you can better support the transformation of your clients through the power of deep connection and relationship. This training takes you deeper into your own healing journey, and helps you to embody the NL principles through continued education and guided practice over the course of 15 weeks.
You will learn:
How your own attachment and trauma history impacts your work
How to more effectively facilitate sessions
How to embrace and embody the nuance of relationship building between you, your horses, and your clients
Plus, you’ll also get access to our training group forum, CE credits, weekly video lessons and assignments, 15 hours of LIVE zoom calls with your instructors and colleagues, and one more completed requirement towards achieving NL certification. Check it out and sign up here.
The next course starts August 22nd! Keep in mind that spaces are limited, so if you know for sure you want in please sign up soon.
No matter your profession or background, Natural Lifemanship certification offers a self-paced and self-organized path for individuals and teams looking to dig deep and transform their work. Trainings, consult calls, and video submissions can be done at your pace, in flexible order. At NL, we prioritize principle-based thinking and personal growth––meaning our certification process is a relationship between you and our wonderful trainers…not a list of tasks to check off.
NL Certification fees include NL Membership where you can access HOURS and HOURS of videos and courses. . . RICH online learning until your heart’s content! Our videos were created with you and your clients in mind – fill learning gaps, lean into the nuance of this work, get CE credits, and begin to specialize!
NL Members also get discounts on exclusive online courses, Building Your Resilience offerings, and events including our highly-anticipated annual conference. Additionally, a variety of FREE online events are available each month for NL members. Members can participate in population specific Mastermind Groups––connect with others in the field who support the population you also serve. This is an opportunity for peer connection, support, and supervision. Members get opportunities to speak with NL founders (including me!) and trainers each month. Connect in community and continue learning. . . together!Learn about the many benefits of membership and sign up here.
Certification students also get a practitioner listing on our website to help clients find you. The practitioner listing is only available to those who are NL Certified or on the certification path.
If you are ready to commit to this process, we will support you every step of the way!
After you sign up you will get access to a “certification course” in your student dashboard so you can start tracking your progress. You will also receive a PDF document with very clear direction about certification paths and requirements. Sign up here!
#3 Sign up for our upcoming webinar, “How NL Certification is a Path Towards Personal and Professional Growth.”
Certification is certainly a process – it is a journey we go on WITH you. I will share what makes our certification process unique, what you can expect when you embark on the NL certification journey, and which steps you’ll take to get started. It may feel a little daunting at first, but I promise that this feeling doesn’t last – before you know it you’ll be gaining ground and feeling more and more confident and competent in the work you do to make the world a better place! Sign up here.
I’m all in, but I need to take it slow. . .
First of all, thank you for listening to yourself and responding to what you need. 🙂
During our upcoming webinar called “How NL Certification is a Path Towards Personal and Professional Growth,” I will likely chat with the “I’m all in” folks to make sure they pace themselves and allow time for learning. This model is a way of being in the world. Which requires a pause. A breath. Movement. And more pauses and breaths. Embodiment takes time.
Those of you in this category have many options, but I would recommend you choose one of the following two options:
#1Register for the upcoming NL Intensive training.
The NL Intensive is the most thorough training we have ever put out there, and it really allows you the time and pace needed to deeply embody this work. It’s an online course with in-person options. In this training you integrate and more deeply implement everything you learned in the Fundamentals of NL so that you can better support the transformation of your clients through the power of deep connection and relationship. This training takes you deeper into your own healing journey, and helps you to embody the NL principles through continued education and guided practice over the course of 15 weeks.
You will learn:
How your own attachment and trauma history impacts your work
How to more effectively facilitate sessions
How to embrace and embody the nuance of relationship building between you, your horses, and your clients
Plus, you’ll also get access to our training group forum, CE credits, weekly video lessons and assignments, 15 hours of LIVE zoom calls with your instructors and colleagues, and one more completed requirement towards achieving NL certification. Check it out and sign up here.
The next course starts August 22nd! Keep in mind that spaces are limited, so if you know for sure you want in please sign up soon.
#2 OR sign up for NL Membership for learning that is 100% self-paced and brings you into a community that grows and learns together.
Through NL Membership you can access HOURS and HOURS of videos and courses. . . RICH online learning until your heart’s content! Our videos were created with you and your clients in mind – fill learning gaps, lean into the nuance of this work, get CE credits, and begin to specialize!
NL Members also get discounts on exclusive online courses, Building Your Resilience offerings, and events including our highly-anticipated annual conference. Additionally, a variety of FREE online events are available each month for NL members. Members can participate in population specific Mastermind Groups––connect with others in the field who support the population you also serve. This is an opportunity for peer connection, support, and supervision. Members get opportunities to speak with NL founders (including me!) and trainers each month. Connect in community and continue learning. . . together!Learn about the many benefits of membership and sign up here.
Additionally, our upcoming webinar, “How NL Certification is a Path Towards Personal and Professional Growth,” might be informative for you. I will share what makes our certification process unique, what you can expect when you embark on the NL certification journey, and which steps you’ll take to get started, so you can begin to think about when/if you might want to start the certification process with NL. It’s a big commitment, so, of course, take your time. Sign up here.
I’m still deciding if NL is right for me
OR I have limited time and financial resources right now
We know you have many options when choosing where to invest your time, energy, and financial resources––thank you for engaging with us!
There are many amazing training opportunities in this field. Over twelve years ago when we started NL there were significantly fewer options, so it was easier to make a decision. But with diversity this field has grown and IMPROVED. It’s such an exciting time! We offer many low to no-cost options so you can get to know us before jumping in!
Additionally, we are committed to equipping you for success so you can effectively implement your training for the purpose of supporting others in their healing journeys.
We offer many low to no-cost options so you can continue your learning with us.
#1 Take some of our courses. We offer many low cost, single purchase courses and videos for those just wanting to get an idea of what’s out there. Many of our courses offer CE credits through NBCC and NAADAC. Many courses are also part of NL Membership or can be purchased by members at steep discounts. Check out our courses here.
#2 Follow along for FREE! We offer an array of free content online through webinars, blogs, and videos – you can do any or all of the following to stay connected and up to date on NL happenings!
The Trauma Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Networking Group on Facebook is also a valuable resource. This group is managed by NL trainers, but is open to ALL. Such great conversations happen in this group!
Follow our YouTube Channel for free video content! This is a great place to begin understanding how the relationship between horse and person progresses, organically and over time, utilizing NL principles. Watch this video first and then follow the progress made with Annie and Abilene.
No matter your level of engagement with us we are honored to walk alongside you as you grow, learn, transform, and take YOU into the world and into ALL of your relationships!
Holy Schmoly, y’all! The conference was even better than I had imagined. And my imagination is pretty darn good!
It was our intention to create a virtual experience that guided us deeper into our bodies, minds, and souls. Revealing just how interconnected we really are.
And guess what? WE DID JUST THAT!
Dare I say, this conference rivaled our in-person events of the past. It’s true! And here’s how.
A couple of weeks prior to Interconnected 2020, we began to gather in a private Facebook group for conference attendees. This group built more connection than any FB group I have ever been part of. Daily, I scrolled through the posts with tears in my eyes, as my love for our community grew stronger each day!
In this group, we engaged in Daily Healing Practices—together. During one of our practices, we created nature mandalas to deepen our connection to one another. Circles and mandalas are powerful symbols of community, never-ending connectedness, intentional space, and our interconnectedness with each other and the world around us.
As members of our community created and shared them in our group, we leaned into what it truly means to connect. . . even at a distance.
ALL of the keynotes, daily healing practices, and workshops were life-changing – so much knowledge, intuition, and talent! I can’t wait to watch the recordings for the workshops that I missed.
As we gathered each evening for our Fireside Chat, we discussed and processed the mornings’ keynotes. What a wonderful time together. In fact, this time was so moving, we decided to continue our chats for conference attendees, while people are still watching the conference recordings!
Which are now available until February 28th, 2021.
Of course, when it comes to our community and Natural Lifemanship, I am admittedly a bit biased, so don’t just take my word for it. See what other people are saying down below!
By the way, It’s not too late to get access to the recordings! [Get them here]
(The price goes up to $999 on November 2nd)
It’s not too late to join our private FB group!
(You will be sent information about how to join after you sign up for VIP access)
AND it’s not too late to participate in our LIVE Fireside Chats!
What Are People Saying on Social Media?
“BEST Conference I’ve Ever Attended!”
“I had my first few sessions back after the conference and I believe they were the richest, deepest sessions I have had with clients and my horses in a long time because of the new tools I learned from this conference. I can’t wait to go back and watch the presentations I missed and re-watch the others. I so very much appreciate the hard work and wisdom you all brought to this experience. It really was the best training/conference I’ve ever been to, real life, virtual, or otherwise! Thank you so much.”
Shannon Marie
“I want to thank Bettina + Tim, and the entire Natural Lifemanship team for putting on, hands down, the best virtual conference I’ve ever attended. In other events, it feels like you are on a never-ending cascade of webinars and it’s so easy to fatigue out. Totally opposite of my experience this weekend. The mandala making, activity + connection in the Facebook group, and my VERY favorite part, the fireside chats made it feel like we were all together. It filled my cup and I am so energized for my work at home.”
Ashley Decker
“Even though we weren’t all together in person physically, it felt like we were to me. And I feel that still! This was the best conference, in person and virtually, I’ve experienced.”
Laura Mengar
“This is the best extensive, virtual conference I have participated in during the pandemic. Kudos to the organizers, and gratitude to them and all the speakers!”
Amanda Ball
“This was an epic event!”
Sara Sherman
“Such Great Learning!”
“So much great content! I will definitely have to go back and listen to recordings – having this at my fingertips was perfect at this point in my life!”
Krystal Raley
“I learned so very much! The speakers, keynotes, workshops were of amazing quality. I am in awe of the talent and expertise we were able to soak in. I can’t wait to go back through and watch the videos I missed.”
Ashley Decker
I want to give a big thank you to the natural lifemanship crew! It was an outstanding conference. And it’s amazing… I’ve already noticed a difference in my equine assisted psychotherapy sessions with what I’ve learned from the conference. Definitely making me a better clinician and helping me improve my relationship with my horse!! Thank you so much!
Theresa Donoghue
“Loved the Fireside Chat wrap-ups!”
Pam Salem
“Bravo!! I am amazed at how fantastically things ran! And such a well-blended line up of interconnected sessions! What an incredible team pulling off an incredible event!!”
Dawn Robson
I haven’t been able to “attend” any of the events this week, but I bought a ticket with the recordings so that I can watch later with full concentration after things settle down. But, I’ve loved seeing everyone’s posts and knowing we belong to a larger community!
Joy O’Neal
“Y’all are unbelievable and huge love to all the horse participants, too!!”
Beth Sylver
“So Much Connection!”
Thank You to you this very special group of people who made this whole thing so wonderful!!!! Experiencing you all in person is life-changing. Experiencing you all virtually was, ALSO, life-changing!! Is it too soon to sign up for the next one???
Laurie Johnson
“There is nothing but acceptance in this group and safety. Thank you NL and all members for providing a much-needed sanctuary for everyone!”
Donna Steffey
“Today- the power of spirit and connection and authenticity filled my lungs and settled in my bones….and I recognized their presence. Nothing had changed outside of myself…Covid was still palpable in the air, injustice was still seeping deeply into every molecule of the planet, and the government was still entrenched in the need for power rather than the power of Love.
And yet, I was able to hold on in a different way. I was able to hold onto connection to myself and others in the profound and beautiful dance that has eluded me for many months . I was able to hold onto hope. I was able to see and hear and remember the divine that lives within me. The divine that lives in all of us. I feel so very grateful. I am committed to being a part of the healing- in whatever form possible. It is my hope that includes horses and trees and music and movement and art and play…and ALL OF YOU.”
Carol Hollis-White
“This lovely, closing quote: ‘We are the luckiest people in the world!’ from Bettina Shultz-Jobe will linger with me forever. My deepest gratitude to every single one who made this journey beyond my wildest dreams! Feeling full of life and love and a new sense of wonder!”
Beth Sylver
“When I got my #Interconnected2020 Bracelet I cried. I have felt so alone in 2020 and to be reminded with this bracelet and this conference, WE ARE INTERCONNECTED brings a sense of peaceful belonging. Thank you Natural Lifemanship for showing me what true connection is!”
Amy Nistor
“I have been collecting and adding pieces (to my nature mandala) during my walks each day of the conference and today it felt complete. The message “All parts are welcome” kept coming to mind. My heart and brain are feeling delightfully full as we end.”
Kim Buller
Even though we weren’t physically together, I’m feeling connected, attuned, happy, peaceful, FILLED and cared for. Thank you!
Cindy Martin
“I Finally Found My Tribe!”
“I am feeling so encouraged right now. I feel like I have finally found my tribe. Everything I have been learning with Natural Lifemanship has been in alignment with my values. I didn’t think that existed anywhere else. SO cool!”
Megan Theiss
“This was the best conference and interconnectedness ever! So proud to have been a part of it and this tribe.”
Paula Young
“Finding NL was like finding the words for what I always felt and knew in my heart about this work. NL gave me the principles and the confidence that I was on the “right” track. I am so honored to be a part of this community with some of the most amazing + loving + incredible + generous humans I’ve ever met. I also know, for my own health and heart, I can’t ever go so long without connecting with you all again. And I cannot wait for the world to open up again (safely) to attend some trainings in person!”
Ashley Decker
“After rejoining this community and learning so much during this conference, I am re-energized. All I have to say to the world is watch out because I’M BACK!!!!!!
Thank you Bettina Shultz-Jobe and Tim Jobe and the rest of the team for putting together such an incredible experience. I can’t wait to see what the next steps on this crazy journey of life are, but I do hope they bring us closer together again.”
Alyssa Rowe
“I am feeling so energized and renewed after having attended several sessions of this conference over the past several days. This morning I’m wanting to tune into a meditation and hear another inspiring keynote and enjoy the fireside chat that invariably takes place, so already missing gathering together. I’m new to this community, having started in the Virtual Fundamentals course in September, but I’m here to stay. The authentic healing presence you all share so freely is truly infectious in a very co-regulating way. Blessings and peace to all of you for a wonderful week.”
Greg Smith
“I’m a dog trainer and behaviorist and I am just LOVING learning about NL. It aligns with everything I’ve been sharing with my clients in order to better their lives through their relationship with their dog, not pain, control, and intimidation.”
Briana Stringer
“Virtual was Ideal!”
COVID aside, I probably would not have been able to travel to attend this conference had it been in person. I have so much gratitude for this virtual event. Thank you for the effort and spectacular outcome in finding a new way to facilitate the conference.
Brenda Turner
As a person who lives remotely (Alaska) this was the perfect opportunity for me to join in. I love NL and would love to pursue it more, but as a hobby attending in person is hard to justify financially. You folks did an amazing job. I can’t wait to watch the videos to soak it all in!
Ingrid Varenbrink
“I am one of those who never had the camera on. Just want to say there is something amazing about participating in a conference in your pajamas while in bed with the dogs and cats snuggled up. And participating in a conference while on a 3-mile walk and while doing ranch chores. Not having to pay for travel and hotel is also really awesome, as were the quality of the videos and tech support!”
Martha McNiel
“I so much LOVED being able to attend this conference via zoom! It was so much more affordable to not have to pay for transportation and a hotel room. Best conference ever! I’m now looking forward to attending the Fundamentals of NL in 2021!”
Jennifer Sutherland
“We are like the stars. Working individually to shine a bright light for ourselves and our clients, while working alongside our fellow practitioners to light up the night sky with hope, possibility, and resilience”.
This year Natural Lifemanship had its first-ever virtual conference. It was our intention to connect virtually in the same way we have in years past at our in-person conferences. We believe deeply in the power of connection to transcend space and time, and we KNOW that we don’t have to be physically together to be connected.
In the days leading up to the conference, we invited all registered participants to join us daily in a private Facebook group to explore rhythm, ritual, movement, breath, meditation, and other skills essential to living in a flourishing community together.
Because. . . we heal, grow, and thrive when part of a community committed to relationship with self and others.
As a way to connect with each other and with our world, we encouraged attendees to create nature mandalas at home – I learned this from one of our trainers, Mary Oliver, and love to do this with clients to help them come into the environment that will support their health and healing.
Those of us who get to partner people with horses to do healing work are often given the gift of space – I like to make full use of the amazing nature office in which I get to work.
Circles and mandalas are such a powerful symbol of community, never-ending connectedness, intentional space, and our interconnectedness with each other and the world around us.
We encouraged people to visit their mandala each day and listen to what their mandala tells them. Maybe add something, take something away, rearrange, etc. At the end of the week, we each released our mandalas back to nature after choosing one object to keep as a reminder of our time together.
The pictures of peoples’ mandalas were stunning and day by day my internal sense of connection grew, deepened, and blossomed.
Tami Bahr with Triquestion, LLC shared this story and I am honored to share it with you, with her permission of course. Thank you Tami for sharing a bit of you with us!
“As I’ve reflected daily on my nature mandala, I noticed every day that the wind, storms, etc. moved things and altered my mandala. The first day, I remember thinking, ‘this is exactly why I was hesitant to put it outside, maybe I should move it inside to protect it.’
I paused for a moment and decided to leave it outside and make some small alterations in the hopes that it would withstand the wind better. The next day, the wind had moved things again, even the rocks which I thought would be impervious to it. But I didn’t think about moving it inside, instead, I incorporated the winds movement and adjusted my mandala.
Each day after that, the wind moved things and I adjusted it. It unfolded each day into a different mandala yet with its history still present, enveloped into its presence that day.
Then, I noticed that I too was evolving, each day feeling moved by the conference, adjusting, expanding, shifting. It was today, our last day when I paused to take a picture of the wind’s movements before adjusting it yet again.
I noticed a bit of panic when I couldn’t find one of the crow feathers and paused to really take in the space. That’s when I found it, hidden under the railing, waiting for me.
It struck me then that I have been finding hidden pieces of myself all week. Moved by the winds of experience in my life, waiting for me to find them by the willingness to adjust, to grow, to change.
I recognize the incredible sense of safety that I’ve felt this week from the NL community and thank you from the bottom of my heart for the interconnectedness you’ve created.
My journey continues but I’m filled with excitement, quiet is the fear and uncertainty, instead, I move forward feeling brave today to see where the winds take me. …..”
It’s not too late to take part in this life-changing transformation
we are undergoing together!
We continue to connect in our private FB group.
We will continue to meet for LIVE Fireside Chats to discuss and process specific workshops as people watch the replays.
Sign up for VIP Access, and gain access to 90 hours of keynotes, workshops, daily healing practices, LIVE Fireside Chats, and CE’s through February 28th, 2021 and join our little circle – community – family!
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