Emotional Intelligence.
Can horses really assist?
Horses aren't exactly top of the list when CEOs, Executives or Entrepreneurs go in search of coaching and personal development programmes. There is however a growing body of evidence that demonstrates just how insightful and effective Equine Assisting Coaching can be. US companies such as Microsoft and The Chamber of Commerce have already seen the light and many more are actively pursuing this form of experiential coaching known to engage a deeper level of emotional intelligence, improve authentic communication and lead to sustainable behavioural change.
In essence, Equine Assisted Coaching helps to answer some rather revealing questions on a personal and professional level:
1. How are you? Yes, really.
Horses instinctively mirror the energetic state of people in their company. They project back a simple and honest reflection of our conscious and subconscious mind. This gives insight into our inner workings revealing what is really happening emotionally, socially and practically in our lives without the mask of clever words, past successes or impressive status. It is from this place of deepened self awareness and emotional intelligence that new approaches and behavioural change emerge with a new found clarity.
2. What is your impact on others?
We all know that the spoken word is only part of the picture. In fact 90% of any communication is unspoken - our intention, presence, attitude, energetic tone and body language - and this is what is remembered and believed, not the words.
Equine Assisted Coaching allows an exploration into our non-verbal impact and influence on others and offers an experiential platform to try out new ways of being in the presence of 'others', i.e. highly sensitive horses, who respond most willingly when we reach a place of authenticity.
3. What needs to change to achieve your goal?
Unknowingly, we become stuck in subconscious patterns of behaviour that could be hindering our ability to make progress or be conflicting with our intentions to improve relationships or reach our goals. Once these insights have come to light, through exercises of active experimentation and reflective observation with the horses, we can make a conscious decision to change our approach and intention. Not only that, we can 'test-case' our new approach with the horses and get instantaneous feedback on our likelihood of success. The learning gained from each coaching session is then applied practically back in the work place (and often at home and socially too) and the outcomes such as increased motivation, improved relationships, intuitive leadership and greater productivity are recorded for further exploration at the next monthly session.
Emma Shoesmith, Professional Coach, Somerset;
‘When I arrived at the field I was pretty nervous as I’ve had two major accidents related to horses. My mind was put at ease by Nina’s warm, calm energy and after our initial conversation I was ready to meet the herd.
At first I simply sat and watched them, then a wave of emotion came over me and I was taken back to a moment in my early years where I felt deeply rejected.
This turned out to be the theme of the session and I followed the intuitive nudges from myself, Nina and the herd.
What unfolded was no short of profound, I was able to join dots, make sense of and begin to understand lifetime of limiting beliefs.
With the horses beautifully mirroring back to me exactly what my soul needed to experience in that moment. The whole process was nurturing, empowering and totally magical.
I feel like it marks the beginning of a new more confident me and I’m excited to weave my learnings into my life and especially the relationship I have with my work and my family.’
Aleksandra Filipovic, Head of Oncology, London;
‘The experience was nothing short of a miracle. I really hadn’t anticipated how deeply the work could go in such a short space of time.
The horses gracefully mirrored my internal shifts, with their change of posture, movement or energy. They embodied roles of people in my life and played out the scenarios I needed to reconnect with.
I left with deep insight into how to find space and self respect. Five months later, I continue to feel so much lighter, so much more myself.’
Eva May Pearson, Journalist and Radio Presenter, Hertfordshire;
‘After just a day and a half at Track Clinic, I began to feel the holding and acceptance I have always longed for on a very deep level. These incredible animals tuned into the unmet and unseen needs of my former self. And the healing began. It goes so much deeper than even words can explain.’
This experiential format, which Psychologist David Kolb describes as 'learning through reflection on doing', has two significant benefits over conventional forms of coaching:
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A deeper, actionable level of insight due to an unmasking of subconscious states and patterns of behaviour.
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Quicker results that endure thanks to the creation of new neural pathways in the brain created as a result of 'acting out' a new behaviour.
Our six month programmes allow for personal and professional transformation on a level suited to and led by the needs of each individual or team - the learning comes from an embodied experience of identifying these emotional needs rather than a theoretical 'teaching' of skills.
This experiential format, which Psychologist David Kolb describes as 'learning through reflection on doing', has two significant benefits over conventional forms of coaching:
-
A deeper, actionable level of insight due to an unmasking of subconscious states and patterns of behaviour.
-
Quicker results that endure thanks to the creation of new neural pathways in the brain created as a result of 'acting out' a new behaviour.
Our six month programmes allow for personal and professional transformation on a level suited to and led by the needs of each individual or team - the learning comes from an embodied experience of identifying these emotional needs rather than a theoretical 'teaching' of skills.
We offer Individual Coaching and Team Coaching (in groups of 4-8).