Greetings!
It is hard to believe that we are half way through summer. September is only a month away and while you may not be ready to hear that, I’d still like to give you a heads up of our exciting Fall offerings! Before I get to that, however, I want to share with you what we’ve been doing here at Empowered By Horses and Friends.
Continuing education is a vital component of our work here at EBH&F. Our mission is to be leaders in the field of Animal Assisted facilitation and from private sessions and group programs to training the next generation of professional facilitators, we are achieving our goals. As such, Steve and I have just come back from the PHAIR (Psychology of Human-Animal Intergroup Relations) conference in Edinburgh where I presented: Making the Invisible Visible: Exploring the intersectionality of speciesm and ableism within the context of animal inclusive healing. It was an exceptional conference. My lecture was well received, and I made exciting new contacts that will help expand my understanding of this field. I continue to work on a Master’s degree in Humane Education at Antioch University. It is not only proving to be an outstanding experience but a validating one as well as it builds upon all I’ve believed in since becoming an ardent animal lover at the young age of six. I am also working toward the final steps in becoming an Equusoma* practitioner and, in January 2026, Rhodes Wellness College and I will launch the Professional Animal Assisted Wellness (PAAW) program — a full-time comprehensive year-long training. I will share more as we get closer to its launch but it’s been a thrilling two years of intense but rewarding work to get it to this stage.
Finally, I want to acknowledge why you haven’t heard much from us in the past few months. 2025 continues to be a year of transition. It started last fall when we made the decision to step back to a slower, more quiet pace at Anam Cara. We said goodbye to several of our team members as they set up practices in new locations and we began focusing on services for older teens, adults and groups. We also lost several of our elder animal friends and grief continues to catch hold of us during unguarded moments. The weight of these transitions has been, at times, heavy. And although it’s been a challenge, making room for the new to unfold has become a welcome theme in our lives.
So, speaking of such, here are some of the things to look forward to come September.
- More group workshops with a somatic focus. Topics include grief and healing, self care for the caregiver, and mindful wellness.
- Private sessions for older teens and adults with a focus on somatic integration.
- In person and/or online Life and Wellness coaching.
- Professional training and mentoring (in person and/or online) for those looking to include Animal Assisted facilitation in their practices.
Stay tuned for more blog posts and videos that explain why working with animals in a natural setting makes sense. And, as always, we welcome your ideas and requests for programs.
From our herd to you, and in memory of our beloved pig Finn, majestic horse Selena, sweet cats Chelsea & Jasmine, and social chickens Amelia, Peach, Taffy, and Hannah, thank you for being part of what makes Anam Cara a special place.
* EQUUSOMA® Horse-Human Trauma Recovery is the integration of Somatic Experiencing® in human-equine relationships. https://equusoma.com/
