At the Natural Lifemanship Institute, we believe that meaningful work on the subject of racism and antiracism begins with connection and the desire to deeply listen to our own bodies and the embodied experiences of others. This 3-part webinar series consists of a conversation between two women – one black, one white – who generously and bravely offered to engage in an embodied conversation about race.

An embodied conversation steers away from a strictly cognitive or intellectual approach. Instead, it prioritizes the lived and felt experience of each participant, both in the past and in the present dialogue in which they are engaged. In practice, it means that neither has entered the conversation with an agenda, but that they each remain open to how it wants to proceed. An embodied conversation is unpredictable and so probably messy at times, from the heart as well as the head. This conversation is built on the care these two women have for each other, and their commitment to staying compassionately and fiercely engaged with this time in history on behalf of racial justice.

Vanessa, a Black woman, has 56 years of experience as a Black woman in this culture, 30 years of antiracist work and feminist work, a decade of studying interpersonal neurobiology, and two decades of shepherding the programs that support domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in Oregon.

Bonnie, a White woman, has 77 years of relative blindness to the effects of racism, 30 years of work with trauma survivors, 17 years of closely studying how to apply interpersonal neurobiology to counseling and daily life, three books about the application of relational neuroscience, and three months of immersion in racism and antiracism studies.

They met as Vanessa was endeavoring to bring relational neuroscience into advocacy and treatment for people emerging from domestic violence. Bonnie has been Vanessa’s student about domestic violence treatment, racism, and feminism. Vanessa has been Bonnie’s student about relational neuroscience and how it might apply to healing for those involved in all manner of abuse. The respect and love they have for each other is the cement that holds them together each day.

Videos: 4 Length: 6h 7m 17s

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. This practice has the capacity to transform our relationship to our past selves, to memory, to the present, to others, and to our Source.  All of us can participate in creating and recreating our stories on the page as an ongoing spiritual practice.

We are thrilled to welcome guest presenter, Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew, a published memoirist, spiritual director, and teacher of spiritual memoir. 

To learn more about Elizabeth and her work, visit:

www.spiritualmemoir.com 
www.elizabethjarrettandrew.com 

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This webinar was part of the series: Survive + Thrive = SurThrive! An NL Webinar Series for Navigating the Pandemic. 

It is freely available through September 13th, after which it will remain available for NL Basic and Professional Members.

If you enjoyed this webinar, you won’t want to miss Elizabeth’s virtual workshop on writing spiritual memoir on Aug 25th from 11am-1pm CDT. Learn more.

Videos: 1 Length: 1h 5m 5s

During this time, many of us are concerned about our health, wellbeing, and our immune system’s ability to protect us.  We are designed to heal, to search for balance, and to connect with our amazing wise one that is a part of each and every one of us.  We often think of healing or wellness on just one plane – the body. While supporting our physical body to relieve symptoms, pain, and illness via western medicine is a part of healing, to gain true health we need to change our perspective and include all the subtle, complex aspects of who we truly are – a multi-layered being of energy and soul.

In this webinar recording, Michelle Holling-Brooks, founder of Unbridled Change, shares pieces of her own journey and how, with the help of teachers and guides along the way –  the main ones being horses, she has unbridled her body, mind, and soul’s true healing power, defying all odds to miraculously recover from illnesses and diseases that experts said could not be healed.  Michelle is inspired by her own childhood trauma when she spent seven days in a coma, and by a recent battle with a rare and deadly cancer.  She hopes that through her story you can ignite your inner healer and wisdom within so that you can start to unbridle your true nature, finding health and healing of body, mind, and soul.

This webinar was part of the series: Survive + Thrive = SurThrive! An NL Webinar Series for Navigating the Pandemic.

The recording is available for free through Sept 4th 2020, after which it will remain available for NL Basic and Professional members.

Michelle-Holling Brooks is a keynote presenter at Interconnected 2020, our virtual conference Oct 21-25th, 2020. LEARN MORE.

Videos: 2 Length: 1h 34m 14s

Find your rhythm in this wonderfully energizing group drumming workshop from the 2017 NL Conference! Co-presenters, Mary Oliver and Reccia Jobe, share ways to connect to self and others through rhythm while enriching therapeutic work with people and horses. 

In this session, participants are introduced to a specific healing protocol, which includes exercises for wellness, finding and connecting to the rhythm of the group, expressing feelings, and guided imagery. 

Finding Your Rhythm is a research-based group drumming program based on HealthRHYTHMS®. It has been shown to strengthen the immune system, reduce stress, improve mood, promote creativity and self-expression, and promote group bonding. It is used to address trauma.  

Videos: 4 Length: 1h 8s

In this presentation from the 2017 Natural Lifemanship Conference, presenters Kelly Jefferson, Certified Equine Therapist, and Reccia Jobe, Certified TF-EAP Equine Professional and Natural Lifemanship Trainer, partner to demonstrate equine bodywork techniques that fit within Natural Lifemanship principles to provide a connecting experience for client and horse.

Over the years Kelly has observed the benefits to both horse and human during bodywork sessions.  There is a special connection established during bodywork that Kelly and Reccia discuss and demonstrate with session participants.  Kelly demonstrates a simple technique that can be used by anyone to develop a relationship or connection with the horse. This technique is based on touch and response, levels of pressure, tuning in to what the horse is telling you, and responding in a manner that allows the horse to release tension. Reccia discusses how she has incorporated this technique into her work with clients using the Natural Lifemanship model.

Videos: 9 Length: 2h 3m 25s