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What is Equine Therapy?

By Kate Naylor and Bettina Shultz-Jobe

“Equine therapy” is probably the most commonly used term to describe, well, just about any therapeutic service involving horses.  It is the most commonly searched term online, and we as practitioners use it all the time.

But, there is a problem.

It’s incorrect and it’s confusing.

Using the term “equine therapy” to label the work that we do in equine assisted services not only muddies our work, but complicates marketing and most importantly, leaves consumers confused and often seeking the wrong services for their needs.

This matters.  For the integrity of our field, for the wellbeing of our clients, and for the health of our businesses.

So what is “equine therapy”?

Equine therapy literally means therapy for equines. This can encompass many wonderful services such as equine massage, masterson method, chiropractic work, reiki, nutritional therapy…the list goes on and on. But importantly, it is a therapeutic intervention for the horse, not the human associated with the horse.

How many times have you explained the work you do to somebody who thought you did therapy for the horse? I’ve had people tell me that they were picturing an actual horse on a therapy couch. We often giggle and then I clarify, but the language we use in this field seems to contribute to this image.

Enter: Equine Assisted Services

The correct umbrella term for what we do is Equine Assisted Services. Making this distinction is valuable on multiple levels. You can learn a bit more about our terminology here.

I hate to muddy the waters here, but it’s worth mentioning. . . Some practitioners do, indeed, integrate equine therapy (therapy for the equine) into equine assisted services (services for the person). This is powerful work that Bettina touched on in a recent webinar. In NL we do believe that Equine Assisted Services should be good for the equine too, but our primary goals are specific to the person receiving services.  

Getting Clear on the Services We Offer

When we describe our services as “equine assisted”, it prompts us to understand what services our equines assist.  In a recent paper, leaders in our field argued for more clarity in terminology.  One suggestion was, when speaking or writing about our work, we should lead with the service and then add “…integrating equines”; as in “mental health counseling integrating equines”.  Or “psychotherapy in partnership with horses”, or “physical therapy using equine movement”, or “occupational therapy in equine environments”, etc.

While this is a mouthful, I admit, I often use this language when describing what it is I do for work. It just is more clear. And importantly, it leads with what it is I actually do. When I lead with this concept, not only is my potential client more clear on whether I can meet their needs, but I am more clear as well. I have to know my scope of practice, my skill set, in order to speak in this fashion. This is a matter of ethics and competence, as well as effectiveness.

We have a problem in our field of believing that just being with the horses is sufficient. While horses are incredible partners in healing work, I think we can all agree, it is necessary for the health and well being of the humans we serve that we develop ourselves professionally separate from the horses. Knowing the service that I offer, with or without equines, makes me a better practitioner.

Now, maybe saying “I offer mindfulness practices in partnership with horses” feels like too much of a mouthful – that’s where “equine assisted mindfulness” can come in.  Using this language instead of “equine therapy” is not only an important point of clarity for the work itself, but is incredibly impactful in your marketing and business building.

Incorrectly using “Equine Therapy” creates confusion

When I search “equine therapy” I get a bazillion results all touting a variety of equine related practices. It is confusing and overwhelming, to say the least. But if I am a consumer searching for mindfulness, and “equine assisted mindfulness” pops up as an option? Cool! Now that’s more like it.

Your business is more likely to be found by the right people, the people who want what you do.  This is a win-win created by more clarity and precision in your language. When you are clear on what you offer, separate from the equines, and use the correct terminology, you will reach the right audience, and the right audience will be able to find you.

Accurate terminology helps people find right-fit services

Lastly, and most importantly, when consumers have heard the term “equine therapy” used over and over, and then utilize that term to search for a practitioner for themselves or a loved one, they can be lost in a sea of services that do not fit them. Worse, consumers self-select an inappropriate service.

If a licensed mental health therapist specializing in trauma processing markets as an “equine therapy” practice, and so does the life coach down the road, and so does the yoga teacher around the corner, and so does the therapeutic riding center across town – how is a consumer, likely uninformed in all these different modalities, supposed to choose what is right for them?  

Each of these services is very, very different, and is designed to meet specific and unique goals.  And, if a client with undiagnosed PTSD (or another specific and sensitive issue) chooses a practitioner that is unqualified to recognize and treat that issue, significant harm can be done. That is the last thing we all want.

Clarity in language fuels our professional evolution, better marketing, and more safety and accuracy for our clients – better services for consumers is absolutely the goal. This clarity is a necessary detail that shouldn’t be overlooked.

For more conversation on this topic, check out Bettina’s recent webinar.

 

 

NL Team Member Spotlight: Tanner Jobe

“Tanner’s skillset is vast.  He is detail oriented, an amazing videographer and photographer, and impressive “out of the box” thinker.  He is constantly striving to help NL improve on the technology front.  AND he’s  wildly intuitive, relational, able to navigate conflict with kindness and honesty, and pushes all of us to continue to grow and evolve personally and professionally.  His integrity as it relates to practicing what we preach in NL is absolutely  awe-inspiring.”

  • Bettina Shultz-Jobe, NL Co-Founder and CEO

Each month, we take a moment to recognize one of our members or team members who’s made an impact in our beloved community.

For this month’s Team Member Spotlight, we’re excited to highlight Tanner Jobe, our Director of Equine Professional (EP) Development & Director of Media, who has spent much of his life immersed in the Natural Lifemanship model.

Learn more about Tanner’s journey, including how he started learning the NL principles and became one of our team’s core staff members.

A lifetime of loving and working with horses

Growing up in a family of ranchers, Tanner was around horses most of his life. In his early years, he learned to train horses with his dad, Tim Jobe, and to do what he calls “Texas cowboy ranch stuff.” 🙂

After college, Tanner moved to Austin after leaving a job in the film industry. At that time, Tim and Bettina were working at Spirit Reins and this was where he first encountered Natural Lifemanship. He started working with the principles of NL while photographing and filming NL trainings.

Tanner started doing some training with Tim and Bettina around 2012, but it wasn’t until 2015 that he began working for Natural Lifemanship full time.

“Working with horses and seeing students make progress in Natural Lifemanship are some of the most rewarding parts of my work,” Tanner said. “It’s a constant learning and improvement process. I’m still making the shift – in some ways, we all are.”

Thoughts About Natural Lifemanship

We asked Tanner a few questions about his experience with Natural Lifemanship. Here’s what he had to say.

What do you wish everyone in our industry knew about Natural Lifemanship?

“I wish people understood that everything we do is an exploration process. We are constantly learning and growing and it’s a messy process. The ability to be intentional about the relationships we are having with everything around us is where our true power lies. Our specialization in the horse/human relationship is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more potential here.”

What are you looking forward to in the future as a member of the Natural Lifemanship team?

“Having a place at NL Headquarters and a herd of horses means I can do more in-depth work. Not just with the horses, but with the people and the environment, too. I look forward to having more in-person opportunities to work with people. That’s really fun.”

If you were going to give advice to anyone who hasn’t heard of NL to tell them why NL is so useful and meaningful, what would you tell them?

“One of the most useful pieces of NL is that it opens a door for us to be really intentional about our way of being in the world and how we interact with every single thing, in every moment. It starts us down a path where we can create this wave, this kind of chain reaction in the world – and that has a lot of meaning to me.”

We’re so grateful to have Tanner as a member of the NL leadership team. Thank you, Tanner, for all you do!

If you are interested in joining our membership community, we would love to welcome you. Learn more at www.naturallifemanship.com/memberships.

 

 

True Healing Cannot Happen at the Expense of Another

When I was a pre-teen I was horse crazy.

I had Breyer horses in my room and horse shoes with pictures inside of them all over my walls.  One year for Christmas my parents got me a subscription to the Quarter Horse Journal. I read every single word and even indexed all the information so I could come back to it when needed.  I was organized, committed, and passionate.

My horse’s name was Mr. Ed. He certainly wasn’t show or performance material but he loved me, and I was smitten.  Absolutely smitten. I can still smell him today and feel his breath. Bathing him was probably my favorite thing – an even better smell that takes me back to all things wonderful in my childhood.

Mr. Ed was SLOW.  So, I spent a lot of time on trail rides or pretending to help “work cattle” a mile behind my dad.  I can remember singing “you are my sunshine” to my horse, while ignoring my dad’s pleas for me to catch up.

I now know the science behind what was really happening for me in those sweet and utterly perfect moments – those moments that formed me – powerful attachment and regulation stuff that I love nerding on and on about nowadays.  The thing is, it’s not just research for me, nor is it for most of us.

It’s personal.

It’s why we do this work – we BELIEVE in the power of the horse/human relationship to heal and to help us develop and grow.  We want this for ourselves, and we go to great lengths to offer this to others.

We need the horse human relationship

Some of us may not have had a living, breathing pony when we were young, but even so, many of us knew deep down that we NEEDED one.  Intuitively, we knew what those who have come before us knew, what science is finally catching up to, and what those who will come after us will find deep in their bones – the relationship between horse and person is special and somehow part of the very fiber of our existence.

AND most of us, at some point, if we are in the EAS field long enough, find that our heart and our passion get fractured.

Bills to pay.

Horses and families to feed and care for.

A business to fund, and clients and communities with needs well beyond our capacities to meet.

And grief and loss – oh, the loss that is deep when we love our horses, and that can be particularly complicated to process.

So, we plug along.

And plug along some more.

And plug along some more, because. . .

Goodness me, horse people have some serious grit.  It’s a strength until it’s a hindrance.

In Natural Lifemanship, one of our core principles is that true healing cannot happen at the expense of another.  The first time we ever said this, we were talking mostly about the horses, and about how important it is that their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being is cared for in and out of sessions.

But a good principle is a good principle regardless of where it is applied (another foundational NL principle), and true healing for my horses and my clients cannot happen at my expense or at the expense of my family.  I, too, need care for my physical, emotional, and psychological well-being in and out of sessions.

Maybe read that again, because you need this, too. We all do.

Returning to our why

So, this year it is my intention to return to the heart of this work – the relationship that formed me – my real why.

Selfishly, I’d love to have support and a little accountability, so I’d like to invite our NL community to join me.  Connect or reconnect to what childlike love of a horse feels like – this simple, yet profound love is at the heart of what we teach and what we do in the world every day.

My invitation to you is that you spend time each day for 30 days with your horse or horses, then we’ll meet as a community once a week to support each other and reflect on our time.  For those of you that find it useful, we’ll give you prompts each day – some gentle guidance as you deepen your relationship with your horse. You can learn more about what we’re doing here.

I plan to do my best to create space for this each day, with all kinds of grace for imperfection.  It’s okay to miss a day (actually, we’re building in a few extra days for this purpose).  Your community will still be here when you get back.

Remember, true healing cannot happen at the expense of another

As of late, I need this reminder on the regular. And I need time with my horse, while ignoring the world’s pleas to catch up – even if for just a short time each day.

If you need this too, please join me.  Join our community as we take time for ourselves and time for our horses. . . on our own and in community.

 

 

 

NL Member Spotlight: Jacque Transmeier

Each month, we take a moment to recognize one of our members who’s made an impact in our beloved community.

For this month’s Member Spotlight, we’re focusing on Jacque Transmeier, one of our  Fundamentals graduates who is also a trauma-informed coach and equine professional.

Learn more about Jacque’s journey, including her transformative experiences with Natural Lifemanship and how it has shaped her approach to horses and personal relationships.

Equine Roots

Jacque Transmeier’s journey with horses began long before she could walk. Born and raised in the heart of the equestrian world in the Midwest, Jacque’s childhood was filled with memories of her participating in local horse shows. By the age of three, she was already barrel racing, a testament to her lifelong connection with horses.

“Horses have been my life, my entire life,” Jacque said.

She immersed herself in the equestrian world by spending her summers with her aunt, working with horses until she was 15 years old. But during high school, Jacque chose to momentarily set aside her equine pursuits to focus on her studies and be able to go to William Woods University, where she eventually finished her four-year degree.

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Charting New Paths and Finding NL

After graduating from her studies, Jacque taught hunter/jumpers for 20 years when her instructor retired.  That was when she moved from Missouri to New York to work for one of the largest hunter/jumper barns in the country.

It was a deep personal loss that served as a catalyst for Jacque’s shift in focus. In 2022, Jacque endured the passing of her beloved mother, a pivotal moment that reshaped her perspective on life and her purpose. Fueled by a desire to honor her mother’s legacy and driven by an unwavering commitment to making a meaningful impact, Jacque redirected her passion toward helping veterans through equine assisted therapy and learning.

It was then that she first connected with Natural Lifemanship.

Jacque’s Insights about NL

We asked Jacque a few questions about her experience doing the Fundamentals and her insights on becoming an  NL annual member, and here are her responses.

What has changed since you took the Fundamentals Training?

“It, for sure, changed the way I see relationships. It’s made me kind of really process who I am and where I’ve been. The biggest thing for me has been relationships with my horses and other people.”

What do you love about being an NL Member?

“I think it goes beyond the membership because it’s like a family. It was truly amazing. I  reached out to Bettina and told her I was coming to NL Headquarters, and she welcomed me to the farm. They are the most genuine people, and it’s not that they just teach Natural Lifemanship. They live by it, breathe it, and set examples, which I think is one of the most important things that makes you want to try harder and do more.

And the other thing I really appreciate is I can go back and watch the videos whenever I want. I’ve watched every single one I could. Just because, you know, this will be the third time I’m going through the fundamentals videos, and I’m picking up something new every time. So the availability to just go back and watch it in our free will is just wonderful.

We’re so grateful to have Jacque as a member of the NL community. She is an integral member of our vibrant community and we love watching her grow.

If you are interested in joining our membership community, we would love to welcome you! Learn more at www.naturallifemanship.com/memberships.

 

 

 

Belonging to a People and a Place

In my twenties  I went on a silent retreat at a convent that my spiritual director recommended.  This was the very beginning of a contemplative journey that I am so glad to have begun.

During this time, I was at a crossroads and I needed this chance to step away and go inward, a skill at which I was certainly not practiced.   I met with a priest whom I had never met before.  I was among people I did not know. Truly, it was a  rich experience that I will never forget.  I was, indeed, able to make a very difficult decision about my life during those days.

However, after this retreat, I recall calling every single family member and friend who would answer their phone and talking on the telephone for HOURS.  I don’t think I even talked about my experience at the retreat – actually, I have no idea what I talked about.  I know now that I was frenetically trying to reconnect to others and to my world.

I was also left feeling that this is what retreats and personal growth are like –  lonely and disconnected.  At the time, I conflated the experience of being physically alone with the feeling of loneliness and the pain of disconnection from others.

About a year later I went on another retreat at a place where the hosts knew me, loved me, understood my intentions, and silently held space for my experience.  This retreat was still silent, it was still self-guided, and I was still physically alone most of the time.

But I was not lonely and I felt a deep sense of connection to those hosting me.  I felt held and seen and understood.  I recently re-read some of the journal entries I made at those two retreats.  The second retreat brought so much more peace and joy and hope – of course!   I was regulated and connected with those who were holding me in their hearts while I grappled, grieved, and sought solace, guidance, and rest.  I left feeling a deep connection to myself, others, and the world around me.

Two Kinds of Retreats

There are a couple of different definitions of the word “retreat.” The first is to fall back or withdraw. This is what happened when I went to that first retreat. I felt isolated, lonely and disconnected.

But the definition I like is a period of time set aside for rest, meditation, or study – away from the usual daily distractions – where you can regulate your nervous system and reconnect with self. This is how my second retreat felt. It was a purposeful getaway aimed at self reflection, healing, and personal growth.

Most importantly, I was still attuned to the people and the setting I was in, while making space to work on my mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.  Likewise, my hosts were attuned to me.

This is the kind of retreat we’ve created at Natural Lifemanship Headquarters.

Nourished: NL Self Care Retreats

Stress, burnout, and disconnection from our inner selves is all too common — especially among helping professionals who already carry so much.

Since the very beginning, we’ve always felt that NL’s headquarters in Brenham, Texas, is more than just a place to train. It’s your place to unplug and unwind while we hold space for you. And unlike the first retreat I went on, our Nourished Self-Care Retreats are not about withdrawal or disconnection.   It’s exactly the opposite, actually.

We start by welcoming you and giving you a tour of the property so you know how you can use the  space.  Then you’ll have an opportunity to set intentions for your stay with us – to be seen, felt, and heard.  After that, you will guide your own schedule and experience, but we will hold space for you and give you time away from other demands to care for and invest in yourself in a very purposeful way.   At the end of your time with us, you’ll meet with one of our team members  again to reflect on the experience and decide what to carry with you as you travel home.

You belong here, with us

I love this quote from Wendell Berry:

“A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define and limit the possibilities of each other’s lives. It is the knowledge that people have of each other, their concern for each other, their trust in each other, the freedom with which they come and go among themselves.”

~ Wendell Berry, A Long-Legged House

Being a member of a community, like Natural Lifemanship, is not just about belonging to a group or a people.  It’s also about belonging to a place.

When you’re going through a process of personal transformation and renewal, there are parts of that journey you need to take on your own.  But you do not have to withdraw or disconnect to be on your own.  When you are on a solitary leg of your journey, it is of utmost importance that you still have a compassionate witness to your experience.

As a part of Natural Lifemanship’s beloved community, you have a home here at NL Headquarters always. It’s a home for training and learning and connecting. But it’s also your home for healing and rebuilding and rising from the ashes.

When it’s time for you to retreat, we want to invite you home, to your place. You will be surrounded by a community that loves you while having the space – and place – for growth.

Come stay with us.

 

NL Membership: A Constellation of Learning, Practice & Community

Constellations are landmarks. They are a guide and a navigational tool. But they are not formed by going from Point A to Point B. 

You need at least three stars to form a constellation.

The same is true for your learning journey with Natural Lifemanship. 

We often think of a learning journey as one with mileposts that we use to figure out how far along we are relative to “the end” or finish line. 

At Natural Lifemanship, we invite you to think about your learning journey as one made up of constellations, not mileposts. It’s not about going from start to finish, but about uncovering clusters of meaning along the way.

Those clusters are made up of opportunities to learn, to  practice, and to grow in community. This is exactly why we created the Natural Lifemanship Membership many years ago. 

Build your constellation with NL Membership

Here are some ways we create constellations within NL Membership to move you toward your goals: 

Learning

Membership includes over 100 hours of videos and compilations, more than 45 CE credits currently available, and videos and courses being added regularly. Take a look at the content lineup below to see exactly what you’ll have access to as an NL Member!

Practicing

Free events for Members, plus discounts on select events to practice what you’re learning. This includes: 

Connecting

Connect with your peers and build a community of supportive colleagues through:

  • Our online community for members through Circle
  • Community Connection Circles
  • Coffee & Horses virtual meetups
  • Networking opportunities

 

This is just the beginning of what you get with NL Membership. We will be announcing new opportunities to connect and learn in person this year, too! 

 

Membership Content by Category

Here’s a look at Membership content by category, along with descriptions and CEs, where available.

NL BASICS

>13 hours of video; 9 CE credits available

Animal Welfare Issues are also Clinical Issues

Tim Jobe and Bettina Shultz-Jobe discuss how to recognize animal welfare issues, including those that lead to behavior issues and burnout. They share how a lack of awareness in this area can impact our clients.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Distance Doesn’t Have to Mean Disconnection

Learn about the foundational role that detachment (physical distance) plays in forming a secure attachment. Learn how we can help ourselves and others get the relational experiences we didn’t get during development.

1 Hour/1 CE

Doing Attachment-Based Work

Gain a concrete understanding of attachment-based work, why it is important, and why understanding attachment-based work is critical when doing telehealth or transitioning between in-person and telehealth sessions.

1 Hour/1 CE

Introduction to NL

Learn the history and big ideas of Natural Lifemanship, how Natural Lifemanship principles are applied in relationships with horses, and how the NL principles facilitate connection and healing.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Introduction to NL and Trauma Informed Care for Service Organizations

This course lays a foundation for shifting organizational culture to become more trauma informed. Learn trauma-informed principles for building connected relationships that help to heal and reorganize the brain.

4.5 Hours/4.5 CEs

Natural Lifemanship Trauma Informed Care for Parents and Caregivers

NL co-founders, Tim and Bettina Jobe, teach parents relationship principles that help children learn to self-regulate and build healthy relationships, and why these are important especially when parenting children who have experienced trauma.

2.25 Hours/0 CEs

Support or Rescue

Bettina Shultz-Jobe discusses the difference between offering support and rescuing in the context of the therapeutic relationship. She discusses why this matters from a neurobiological and attachment perspective.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Trauma Informed and Developmentally Sensitive Schools

Learn science-based principles for creating trauma-informed and developmentally sensitive classrooms and schools. NL relationship principles provide a framework for translating principles into effective practices.

2.25 Hours/2.25 CEs

Trauma Informed Care and Trauma Informed Relationships are for Everyone

The truth is that most of us have experienced some level of trauma. Trauma informed care (TIC) is about becoming empowered to organize or reorganize the brain by understanding how the brain and body develop.

1 Hours/0 CEs

When Two Cultures Collide

Tim and Bettina discuss belief systems and principles that have historically prevailed in the horse world creating cultures that may collide or that may coalesce to bring about health and healing for horse and human, alike.

1 Hours/0 CEs

CONNECTED HORSEMANSHIP

>25 hours of video

Catching Your Horse with Connection

Watch as Natural Lifemanship trainer, Tanner Jobe, demonstrates and explains how to catch and halter a horse with connection.

.25 Hours/0 CEs

Centering

Learn a process for becoming more present to yourself and others. Shannon Knapp demonstrates a process of centering as a way to get in touch with yourself prior to engaging with a horse.

.25 Hours/0 CEs

Connected Horsemanship Deep Dive Workshop

Learn how the process of building a connected relationship in Natural Lifemanship is guided by principles and by a particular responsiveness to THIS relationship, rather than by techniques uniformly applied to all relationships.

3 Hours/0 CEs

Determining if the Relationship is Ready for Riding

As the relationship between a client and horse progresses, the therapy team and the client may decide it’s the right time to explore connection while mounted; however, how do they know if the client’s horse is ready for this next stage of intimacy?

.25 Hours/0 CEs

Developing Felt Safety with Attachment and Detachment

In this video, Tanner works with a new horse named Lizzie and demonstrates how to ask for connection through attachment and detachment. The goal is for Lizzie to stay connected, even in more stressful or unfamiliar spaces.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Equine Essentials: Body Language, Posture, Expressions, and Movement

There are a lot of opinions in the field about what various horse behaviors and physical cues mean; but in any relationship, and especially those with our equine companions, understanding body language and behavior is actually very nuanced. With this course, you will gain skill and confidence in your interactions with horses. Learn the essentials to better understand, care for, and connect with horses. This series is ideal for all equine-assisted/facilitated practitioners and especially those who apply the Natural Lifemanship process. To offer this series, we partnered with horse trainer and riding instructor, Callie King.

1.5 Hours/0 CEs

Facebook Live Collection – Connected Horsemanship

Each video in this collection was originally shot and shared via Facebook Live. Observe the many nuances of building connection in each encounter between a particular human and a particular horse at a particular moment in time.

6 Hours/0 CEs

Haltering with Connection

How might we approach a routine task such as haltering as an opportunity to build connection in our relationship with our horse? Tanner demonstrates how he asks Oreo to be connected and to say “yes” to being haltered.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Integrating Equine Bodywork in TF-EAP

Learn to apply NL principles while connecting with your horse through equine bodywork. Learn a simple technique to help your horse release tension and learn how the technique may be incorporated into work with clients using the NL process.

2 Hours/0 CEs

Learning about Connection with a Wild Horse

NL co-founder, Tim Jobe, demonstrates how he begins to work with a wild horse in ways that build connection. He discusses how he applies the NL principles throughout the process.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Relationship Basics with Frieda

In this series of 19 videos, Tim and Bettina build a connected and cooperative partnership with their rescue horse, Frieda. Learn the nuances of the NL process through this series of demonstrations.

4 Hours/0 CEs

Tanner & Nina: Preparing for Mounting

Tanner builds his relationship with Nina starting with asking her to attach in the pasture to follow him into the covered arena. Once in the arena, they work on refining their attachment and detachment and positioning around the mounting block.

1.5 Hours/0 CEs

The Complexity of Touch

NL is a practice of restoring and repairing connection in our relationships whenever and however it is lost. Trust and intimacy are built through thousands of micro-repairs. Bettina and Tanner work on restoring connection around touch with Apollo.

3 Hours/0 CEs

The Process of Mounting at Liberty

Tanner works with Lady to help her become comfortable positioning her body around the mounting block. Through working on connection they build the trust and communication needed for mounting.

1.5 Hours/0 CEs

SPECIFIC POPULATIONS 

>12.5 hours of video; 12.5 CE Credits available

NL for Groups

NL Trainers, Sara Sherman of Discovery Horse and Reccia Jobe of Pecan Creek Ranch, teach and model just how easy and effective it can be to incorporate NL principles into a variety of group settings.

3.25 Hours/3 CEs

NL for Veterans and First Responders

This course includes content on how to apply NL principles to working with veterans and first responders. The presentations cover important skills for working with each population.

5.5 Hours/5.5 CEs

Telehealth with Children and Families when they have been doing EAP

How does one move an equine-assisted practice indoors, or even virtual via telehealth? Learn some helpful ways to transition to telehealth with clients who are accustomed to working outside with you and with horses.

1 Hour/1 CE

The Disease of Disconnection: Applying Natural Lifemanship Principles to the Treatment of Substance-Use Disorders

Addiction is a disease of Disconnection. Its symptoms: Isolation, Fear and Loneliness. This workshop introduces you to a trauma-informed understanding of addiction to reveal the underlying factors that create and perpetuate the addiction cycle.

3 Hours/3 CEs

THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES AND THEORETICAL ORIENTATION

>21.5 hours of video; 12 CE Credits available

Breathing Practices for Nervous System Awareness and Regulation

This practical and engaging two-part workshop explores how bringing awareness to our breath can help us better understand ourselves, and how we can use breath deliberately to support our wellbeing and navigate challenges.

2.5 Hours/2.5 CEs

Conversation with Bonnie Badenoch, Author of The Heart of Trauma

Bonnie Badenoch, PhD, LMFT is the best selling author of The Heart of Trauma. This rich conversation ventures deeply into the science of what it means to be a healing presence for others.

2 Hours/2 CEs

Finding Your Rhythm: Therapeutic Drumming

Enhance connection through rhythm while enriching therapeutic work with people and horses. Learn a specific healing protocol including exercises for wellness, connecting to the rhythm of the group, expressing feelings, and guided imagery.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Healing Attachment Wounds through Movement

Our attachment style and way of relating in the world is developed preverbally. As such, attachment wounding must be addressed somatically. Learn how connecting to the way an embryo moves and develops can help us sense into our bodies powerfully.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Introduction to Equine Connected EMDR (EC-EMDR)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective, extensively researched method for helping people recover from trauma. Learn how Trauma-Focused EAP supports and enhances EMDR in Equine-Connected EMDR (EC-EMDR).

3 Hours/3 CEs

Mindfulness Practices to Build Connection

NL Trainer, Shannon Knapp, presents on Mindfulness Practices to Build Connection. Following the presentation, a small group gathers at an experiential workshop to learn and experience how these practices may look in session with a horse.

2 Hours/0 CEs

Preparing the Horse and Client for (Mounted) Trauma Processing

Rhythmic Riding is utilized to build an internal sense of connection and a level of integration in the brain prior to processing traumatic events. Learn to prepare horse and client for this powerful work.

4 Hours/4 CEs

Processing Trauma with the Help of Horses

How do we process trauma in a connected way with a client who is deeply dysregulated, doesn’t desire or feel connection, isn’t ready to make requests for relationship, has deep attachment wounding, and who has experienced severe trauma?

2 Hours/0 CEs

Rainy Day Activities

Have you ever wondered what to do in your sessions on a rainy day or during the long winter months?  Learn how one can still do Natural Lifemanship when circumstances prevent partnering with horses.

4 Hours/4 CEs

Rhythmic Riding Demonstration

This video demonstrates how mounted work may facilitate regulation of the brain, integration, and modulation of the stress response. Completion of the Fundamentals of NL training is recommended prior to watching.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is a trauma and attachment therapy model that focuses on the body to connect with and process traumatic material. Learn foundational tenets of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, founded by Pat Ogden.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Somatic Experiencing, Attachment and Touch

Learn how Somatic Experiencing®, Attachment and Touch interweave in trauma treatment involving humans and equines. Includes presentation and experiential workshop.

2.25 Hours/0 CEs

Tapping into Peace: Percussive Tapping Techniques for Self-Regulation and Soothing

Learn the origins of EFT and the ways it can be effective in helping our bodies regulate around physical and emotional stress. The presenters show the tapping points involved in the technique and lead the audience through EFT.

1.5 Hours/0 CEs

The Journey into Self-Leadership: Integrating the Internal Family Systems Model with EAS

This presentation by Jenn Pagone, LCPC provides a fundamental understanding of the IFS model and how it may be effectively integrated with an equine-assisted practice informed by Natural Lifemanship.

4.5 Hours/4.5 CEs

BUSINESS, ETHICS, AND THE FIELD AT LARGE/WEBINARS 

>17 hours of video; 4 CE Credits available

Animal Welfare Issues are also Clinical Issues

Tim Jobe and Bettina Shultz-Jobe discuss how to recognize animal welfare issues, including those that lead to behavior issues and burnout. They share how a lack of awareness in this area can impact our clients.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Business Building 101

Building a business in equine-assisted services can be daunting. Let industry experts, Shannon Knapp and Bettina Shultz-Jobe be your guides! Learn about the multiple considerations that can make or break an EAS business.

3 Hours/3 CEs

Ethical Dilemmas Specific to the Field of Equine Assisted Practice and Psychotherapy

This webinar discusses the many ethical dilemmas specific to Equine Assisted Services. It is critical for practitioners to embrace strong ethical values and guidelines as they navigate the inevitable complications that arise.

1 Hour/1 CEs

Research, Program Evaluation & Documentation: A Collection of Resources

This compilation provides information and resources related to research, program evaluation, and documentation in equine-assisted services, particularly services informed by the Natural Lifemanship.

7 Hours/0 CEs

Support or Rescue

Bettina Shultz-Jobe discusses the difference between offering support and rescuing in the context of the therapeutic relationship. She discusses why this matters from a neurobiological and attachment perspective.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Take Your EA Practice to the Next Level with PonyTracker

Learn about PonyTracker: a web-based tool to help business owners of equine-assisted services stay organized with barn management, therapeutic client management, rider/student tracking, and scheduling.

1 Hour/0 CEs

The Top 5 Things Every Equine Assisted Practice Needs to Know for Business Success

Shannon Knapp and Bettina Shultz-Jobe are passionate about helping equine-assisted practitioners build businesses across the country and throughout the world. They discuss the top 5 things you need to know to be successful in this field.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Transforming Trauma: Resiliency and Healing through our Connections with Animals

Philip Tedeschi reviews some of the important ways that animals are being incorporated into clinical responses to trauma highlighting findings discussed in his book, including the neurobiological mechanisms of change in AAI.

1.5 Hours/0 CEs

Trauma Informed Care and Trauma Informed Relationships are for Everyone

The truth is that most of us have experienced some level of trauma. Trauma informed care (TIC) is about becoming empowered to organize or reorganize the brain by understanding how the brain and body develop.

1 Hour/0 CEs

DAILY HEALING PRACTICES, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND OTHER

>13 hours of video; 8 CE Credits available

A Journey from Parts to Self

This guided meditation led by Jenn Pagone is aimed to assist you in identifying any activated parts that are calling for your attention, and to help you attune to your body to build resiliency and increase resources.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Breathing Practices for Nervous System Awareness and Regulation

This practical and engaging two-part workshop explores how bringing awareness to our breath can help us better understand ourselves, and how we can use breath deliberately to support our wellbeing and navigate challenges.

2.5 Hours/2.5 CEs

Building an Internal Safe Place

Learn a practice to support you in moments of acute stress and routinely throughout the day. Using psychodrama, Kate Naylor guides us as we explore and draw upon our own internal resources for strength, soothing, and support.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Chakra Balancing

Chakra balancing is based on the ancient Indian belief in a series of seven chakras, or energy centers. Chakra balancing is believed to promote health and resilience by maximizing the flow of energy in the body. Led by Michelle Holling-Brooks.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Connecting to Nature through Music

Experience bottom-up regulation as we connect to the elements of air, earth, water, and fire through music. Led by Mary Oliver.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Orientation: Moving into Presence

Meeting with novelty or threats in the environment, our bodies normally react with a stress response, preventing us from being fully present. Orienting and re-orienting through our senses increases the comfort we experience in our bodies and spaces.

.5 Hours/0 CEs

Spiritual Memoir: Where a Life Meets Mystery

Memoir becomes spiritual with intention. Writing spiritual memoir, we look for holiness within the details of our personal stories, opening ourselves to transformation in the process. Presented by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew.

1 Hour/0 CEs

Become a Natural Lifemanship Member Today!

Do you want access to all of this amazing content, opportunities to practice and a welcoming community of fellow practitioners and healers? Become an NL Member today. We are waiting for you!

Join Us!

NL Team Member Spotlight: Laura McFarland

“I still have no idea how we convinced Laura to come work for NL over 8 years ago!  She is absolutely brilliant, can do just about anything, and has challenged me in many ways both personally and professionally.  Customer service is of utmost importance to her – she has gone to bat for our students and customers in powerful ways, and is always seeking to improve the customer journey with NL.  Laura has also been a much needed support on my faith journey in profound and life-changing ways.  She was instrumental in the development of the NL for Spiritual Connection training – a training I am so proud for NL to offer to our community.  I simply cannot imagine NL or my life without her.”  

– Bettina Shultz-Jobe, NL Co-Founder and CEO

Each month we take a moment to recognize someone who’s made a profound impact on our beloved community. In the past, we’ve featured some incredible NL members,

but we’re excited to introduce you to our first team member spotlight, featuring  our Chief Operating Officer, Laura McFarland. 

Laura is a passionate and dedicated leader with an extraordinary journey intertwined with Natural Lifemanship. For over eight years, Laura has been an integral part of the NL Team, fostering healing and connection through our trainings and membership community.

Learn more about Laura’s journey with Natural Lifemanship and the remarkable way NL has become an extended family to her. 

A Fateful Encounter

Laura met Tim and Bettina back in August 2010. At that time, Laura was midway through a doctoral program in Special Education at the University of Texas at Austin. She had taken a course in the School of Social Work and that course opened her eyes to community-based programs targeting at-risk youth and delinquents. This sparked a desire in her to make a tangible impact in her community.

Since childhood, Laura has always loved horses, and her admiration for equine-assisted psychotherapy was kindled by a family friend who incorporated horses into her therapeutic work. Driven by curiosity and a desire to contribute, she set out to volunteer at a local community-based organization offering Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP).

Laura ended up connecting with Spirit Reins in Liberty Hill, Texas, and started working with them during the summer of 2010. In August of that same year, she met Tim and Bettina when they came to Spirit Reins to do their first training together as a married couple.

Laura was so deeply moved by her training experience that she continued volunteering with Spirit Reins while also doing some writing with Tim and Bettina as she finished her studies. That is where her journey with NL began and she was officially hired as part of the NL Team in 2015.

The Rewards and Challenges of NL

For Laura, working with and for Natural Lifemanship is incredibly rewarding, and also challenging. She considers the NL Team as an extended family and the biggest reward in her work is being a part of our community. She really treasures the relationships she has formed through her work with NL. According to Laura: 

“I love each of my fellow team members, our amazing trainers, our awesome community, and the many connections I’ve made through our organization. Professionally, I find it very rewarding to witness the healing and transformation that our students experience as they journey and grow with us.” 

Laura also added that, as with any endeavor characterized by profound intentionality and care, it’s inevitable to face some challenges. The NL team is constantly evaluating and reevaluating their practices and working on improving their methods. This ongoing process, particularly in the realm of creating effective and meaningful online learning experiences, presents inherent challenges.

Nonetheless, these challenges are met head-on, and NL remains committed to its mission and to the team that supports it. For Laura, the sense of fulfillment that comes from being part of a community that promotes healing, transformation, and connection is immeasurable.

Laura’s Insights about NL

We asked Laura a few questions about Natural Lifemanship and her insights about it as part of NL Team. Here’s what she had to say. 

NL: What do you wish everyone in our industry knew about Natural Lifemanship?

Laura: “One thing I wish everyone in our industry knew about NL is that what we teach, model, and aim to achieve is a way of being in the world, and that this way of being is cultivated each and every day through our relationships. We are journeying together to promote healing, transformation, and connection in ourselves and others. That’s why I love our new tagline, walk with us – because we are all walking, as well!”

NL: What are you looking forward to as a member of the team?

Laura: “Right now I’m looking forward to our conference! By the time anyone is reading this, it will probably have already occurred. I love our conferences because I love our community and because most of the time I am working at a desk. Our team puts A LOT of energy and love into planning and preparing for these events and it is so rewarding to experience what happens when our community arrives and we spend a few days together. It feeds my soul!”

NL: If you were going to give advice to anyone who hasn’t heard of NL to tell them why NL is so useful and meaningful, what would you tell them?

Laura: “That’s a great question. It depends who is asking and what they’re looking for. If someone is already working in the field of Equines Assisted Services, I definitely recommend checking us out because what defines EAS is relationship (the partnering of horses and humans). For folks who are not in the EAS field, these principles are relevant to them as well. We work a lot with teachers and others who never incorporate horses into their work. We offer a whole new perspective and lens for understanding the human relationships we each experience in our professional and our personal lives. Really, I think we’re relevant to just about anyone! But I’m not biased :)“

Our team is stronger, more capable and more fun because Laura is an integral part of it. We would not be able to do what we do without her leadership, love and expertise. Thank you, Laura, for all that you do!

If you are interested in joining our membership community, we would love to welcome you! Learn more at  www.naturallifemanship.com/memberships. 

These Boots are Made for Workin’

These boots are made for workin’ and that’s just what they’ll do. . . 🎶

You can learn so much about a person by the shoes they wear.  Really. . . think about it.

I, for example, spend a lot of my time in crocs, Haflinger clogs. . . and round toed, rubber soled, Ariat or Justin cowboy boots (Fat babies or Gypsies to be exact).  Each of these need to be replaced about once a year because I wear holes into the soles.  My shoes tell you a bit about my willingness to greatly sacrifice style for comfort, my heritage, and my trade, among other things, I’m sure.  They tell you about the lifestyle choices I’ve made.

I have a pair of running shoes that I bought almost 20 years ago.  I wear them occasionally.  There was a time in life I had every kind of flip flop imaginable.  I remember wearing a very professional skirt and suit jacket with flip flops. . . and it was appropriate in that situation during that season.  I have some heels that I literally have to dust off each time I wear them.  I bought a pair of red boots with turquoise tops 20 years ago that are still one of my most prized possessions.

Wouldn’t it be fun to tell our life story through our shoes – just pictures of our shoes on a timeline?  I think I’d love that.

People.  Horses.  And Healing.

I remember the day I realized that I had found what I was going to dedicate my life to.

People.  Horses.  And Healing.

The light was shining through the sliding glass doors that created one wall of our ground floor living room apartment.  There was this little wicker couch with heavy boucle cream colored upholstery from the 80’s and a sage colored papasan chair I’d bought at Pier 1.  We had gotten most of our furniture from Thrift stores and my roommate’s artwork was hung on the walls.  Even today, the print of Beth’s clay pots hangs in my office.

I had just gotten back from a 6 month break from Denver Seminary.  Due to a complete faith crisis coupled with a nasty break-up, I had decided to move to Massachusetts with my sister to live in a primarily Buddhist community and learn about a cancer diet my mother had dedicated herself to after a bout with ovarian cancer. (But this is a story for another time). I had just returned to Denver Seminary to finish my Masters in Counseling when I stumbled upon this career that has become my life’s work.

Image2

10-year-old Bettina with Mr. Ed

Coming Back to Horses

I am one of the lucky girls whose first love was my Dad.  He loved horses, so I am also one of the lucky girls whose second love was my horse, Mr. Ed.  I loved that horse and I have always believed that he loved me – he at least went to great lengths to keep me safe.

When I was 15 years old he and his pasture mate, Babydoll, were both hit by cars on a foggy Florida morning. (This too is a story for another day)  For me, this was the beginning of a long hiatus from horses.  My father tried to get me the palomino I had always wanted but we couldn’t really afford it, and I was far too heartbroken to build a relationship with another horse.

Anyway, as the sun came through those glass doors in that little apartment, on the heels of a renewed commitment to finish the path I had begun at Seminary, I felt myself drawn back into relationship with my second love.  I have heard many stories about the thin moments people in this field experience when they realize they can help people with the help of horses.

They can get a new office among the animals and nature they love.

They can wear their boots to work!

I’ve also heard many stories about people who “came back to horses” through this field.  I often hear bits of my story in the stories of others.  For many of us, this is a dream and a coming home.

Buy the Boots

The first person I called when I’d found my calling was my Dad.  He was so excited for me and with me.  One of the first things he said was, “We have to get you some new boots!”  There is certainly more to the story, but the brown boots with the yellow tulips you see at the top of this blog are the boots he got me at the very beginning of this transformative journey I have been so blessed to have found.  I have been honored to watch many, many new practitioners come into this field to find their calling and their passion.  Almost always, one of the first things they do is buy the boots.  Seriously, I’ve seen it over and over again.  We all wear different boots for very specific reasons.

Y’all this field is much harder to get started in than more typical office therapy, coaching, etc.  We have to do quite a bit more than hang out a shingle, but it’s simpler to get started than most people think. Yeah, you need a horse.  Yeah, you need some sort of space to be in with a horse and person.  Yeah, you need some education, but I am here to tell you that none of these things need to be perfect for you to start.  Lots has happened over the last 20 years, but first I bought the boots, and I’m so glad I did.  Wearing my boots to work most days is a lifestyle choice I will never be sorry I made.

Walk with us

If it is your desire to come to horses or to come back to horses and help people heal and grow through the powerful connection that can be formed between horse and person, I say buy the boots! That’s the first step to getting started. If you want to know the next steps, we’re going to be diving into exactly what you need to do to get started in this business in our upcoming webinar on January 18th at 5:00 pm Central. Register here!

Building a strong foundation, from the boots up, is the best place to begin. If you’re eager to make 2024 the year you really dig deep into this work, I want to personally invite you to join us for our upcoming Fundamentals of NL. Registration happens to be open right now and there is no better time to begin than right now. Learn more about Fundamentals and join us.

Maybe one day you can tell the story about how you found your way into the coolest niche field ever simply by showing us the shoes you wore to work in 2023 and shoes you wore to work in 2024.  Wouldn’t that be amazing?!

P.S. These boots are made for workin’ and that’s just what they’ll do . . . 🎶

I hope this song is now stuck in your head because, 1. It’s been stuck in mine for weeks and I need some company, and 2.  It’s a great beatem’ up song to sing on the days you need some serious power to get through, because even dreams and miracles require a lot of work, and some days will be hard.  Sometimes you have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, so the boots you wear are super important!  Buy the Boots!

 

 

 

Belief in Magic: The Grown-up Version

By Bettina Shultz-Jobe

In 2018 when I was pregnant with Mabel, our second child, I began watching This Is Us during the last trimester when I was on bedrest.  I was already a little late in the game on this series at that time, and now I’m even later. So is life as a business owner and Mama. . . 

So, I recently watched the last episode of season 4. If you’re a This Is Us fan you might remember when Gerald McRaney, the actor who plays Dr. Nathan Katowski, shared some words of wisdom that he supposedly pulled out of thin air in the moment. Maybe you also cried (or wept) like I did. He said: 

“I think the trick is, not trying to keep the joys and the tragedies apart. But you kinda gotta let ’em cozy up to one another. You know, let ‘em co-exist. And I think that if you can do that, if you can manage to forge ahead with all that joy and heartache mixed up together inside of you, never knowing which one’s gonna get the upper hand. . . well, life does have a way of shaking out to being more beautiful than tragic.” 

At our home, our Christmas tree tells our life story. Memories of people who are no longer with us, homes and lives in which we no longer live, moments we will never get back. Each year tears fill my eyes as we unpack and hang ornaments that take me back to younger love, younger children, and seasons I thought would never end. Each year I remember, reminisce, and grieve.

When we decorate the tree I also feel the joy, magic, and mystery that is all around during the holiday season. Sometimes this comes easy, but more often than not I find that it is a practice.  It’s a discipline, because life is hard. It’s hard for everybody. Even when it looks kinda easy. . . it’s still hard. It’s gut-wrenchingly heartbreaking, and for many of us these feelings are profoundly worse during the holidays – in juxtaposition to all the Christmas Spirit and the implication around every corner that we should feel joy. I call this grinch pain, and it is all too real for many of us.

Some of us were blessed (or lucky) enough to remember a time in childhood when magic seemed easy. Ya know, it just happened (mostly because we had parents who really loved us! But that’s another conversation). The awe and wonder of the Christmas season was simple. I was one of those lucky children.  

As life happens, the magic of this season can become less. . . well magical, if we let it. It’s so easy to lose sight of the magic of twinkle lights because they take so damn long to put up. It’s a lot of work. It’s terribly easy to lose sight of the beauty of just about anything worth working for, especially when we’re in the thick of it. 

During my childhood, Christmas traditions, twinkle lights, trees, and Santa Claus all just happened – the innocence of this kind of magic is something I cherish. It has brought me great joy to be part of creating this kind of magic for our children, because I believe this helps to set the foundation for something even more miraculous and magical to occur. . . 

To find awe and wonder and magic and joy even amidst all the work it takes to create it. Even during the very real pain that life often brings. This is a miracle. I do believe that to recognize and accept a miracle takes great work and oftentimes even greater risk.  Very seldom do miracles just happen.  

For me, the entire Christmas season, especially tree decorating day, is a perfect time to practice letting the joys and tragedies “cozy up to one another”.  Deeply holding and feeling both.  The risk is huge, because there is no way of knowing “which one’s gonna get the upper hand” moment by moment. At times, I have been overcome by grief when unwrapping and hanging ornaments, but it’s mind-blowing what those lights look like through tears. When we just stay in it, keep feeling all the things, the reward is great.  It’s a high risk, high reward venture.  

The belief in magic we experience in our youth is innocent and beautiful. . . and fragile, but the magic found at the end of a pilgrimage and a voyage  – the grown-up version of believing in magic, in miracles, is worth dying for.   

My wish for you this holiday, however you may celebrate, is that “you can manage to forge ahead with all that joy and heartache mixed up together inside of you, never knowing which one’s gonna get the upper hand.”  Because this is brave, and this is what prepares the way for things to be “more beautiful than tragic.”  

This is the miracle of Christmas.  

Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.  My sentimental heart loves this sweet little rhyme.

I’m generally not superstitious, but I do love tradition. I find safety, connection, and predictability in this passing on of customs and beliefs.  For generations, brides and grooms have abided by this list as a way to incorporate cherished people, objects, and memories into a sacred ceremony.  Arguably, the most sacred of all ceremonies.  A ceremony about new beginnings, new life, love, and commitment.

Rooted in Tradition

At our wedding, I wore my mother’s wedding dress, new shoes, and a turquoise necklace Tim had given me.  Almost all of the decorations at our wedding were borrowed from many dear friends who contributed to our special day in precious ways.

When Natural Lifemanship formed a relationship with That’s the Dream Ranch, it was a new beginning for us, a wedding of sorts.  This partnership is all about love and commitment and the building of a new life for our family, our business, and our community.  The renovating and remodeling of the thirty year old, mostly furnished 12-bedroom inn, that we now call the NL HomePlace, was a labor of love – so much labor and so much love went into every single room.  I have said many a time that each room has something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue – like any sacred experience should.

So, what is meant by this little rhyme? This Old English rhyme dates back to the 19th century and all meanings are just theory, so here are mine.

Something Old

I’m a huge fan of antiques – objects with a story that tether us to the past.  Sometimes it feels easier to just burn it all and start fresh, but when we do that we lose the wisdom of those who have come before us.  The wisdom of our fellow travelers who have prepared the way for us – who have walked the paths we tread.  We also lose the profound learning and joy that comes when we repair a relationship, a life. . . or an armoire.  Throughout the Inn we have done the painful work of choosing what goes, deciding what to keep, and what needs repair.  Each room has something old – something from the past to remind you that you are not alone.  Something with a story.

Something New

There’s nothing like the smell of a new car, a new saddle, a new home.  Let’s face it, the musty smell of something old is no joke.  The ozone machine has become an important member of the NL team here at the ranch.  Something new represents hope for the future and an acceptance of where we are now – what is.  The new allows us to embrace change and progress and possibility.  As we purchased new furniture, bedding, and artwork, I held the belief close to my chest that healing is possible and that the old can be repurposed in a way that plays well with the new.

Something Borrowed

We need each other.  We need support.  Something borrowed is about having the humility to ask for help and accept support and nurture from others. It’s also about community and family – the kind we create.  I have always dreamed of living in a neighborhood, where I could run next door to borrow a cup of sugar or a stick of butter. It is our dream to create this kind of home for you.  Each room has something borrowed – something our NL family has contributed to our grand purpose.

Something Blue

Specifically, turquoise. . . the NL turquoise.  Well, this is just good taste!  Need I say more?

Welcome Home

It is our deepest desire that when you come through the gates of the NL Headquarters, you feel something right away.  When you step foot on our land and cross the threshold of your bespoke room, you feel an energy that prepares.  An energy that pierces your soul and prompts your heart to say, “I am safe here.  I am protected.  I am ready –  to learn, to grow, to heal, and to transform.”

It is our desire that this place, our HomePlace, prepares the way – for profound growth that even extends to those whose feet may never touch this land – those whose lives you touch.  Your life is our legacy – a responsibility we take very seriously and hold with great tenderness.

We have prepared this place so that you may find what your soul seeks – maybe a new beginning, a bit of healing and growth, a renewed sense of love for and commitment to yourself and others. May you connect with the deep history of this place, and with those who have come before you.  May you find hope.  May you be supported and nurtured.  And may you grow to love turquoise. . . because that’s just good taste.  😉

May you be at home here.  May you find true belonging here, at your HomePlace.

Also, if you register for an in-person training at the NL Headquarters in Brenham, Texas before December 31st of this year you will get free onsite lodging in our little inn.  

I hope you can join us in 2024.

 

 

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