What Does a Horse Medicine Session in the Women’s Healing Package Look Like?

In my work with women in a Horse Medicine session, I am intentional about being holistic in mind, body, and spirit. My over ten years of being a therapist has been focused on attachment and trauma work. I have many trainings in those areas including, EMDR and Trauma-Focused Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy. One additional modality that melds those areas beautifully and adds a spiritual component is Internal Family Systems (IFS). Over the past year and a half I have been in multiple trainings in using IFS in my equine work as well as EMDR. I have also done a year of personal work in IFS in my own therapy. I find this approach is gentle and transformative!

What is IFS? IFS is a way of explaining how we are as humans, as beings with a soul and life energy that is formed of many parts. Many spiritual traditions have their own way of explaining this concept across the world and time. It is so universal that we use this “parts” language all the time without knowing it especially when talking about decisions. For example a woman might say “a part of me wants to stay in this career, while another wants to go back to school.” A part who wants to stay in her marriage and a part that does not. The list can go on!

We are born with a unique set of abilities, temperament, aptitudes, gifts and the like that are intended to be used in our soul’s purpose. We are formed good and complete. From my perspective, all people have been made in the Creator’s image and as a result have access to what IFS called the 6 C’s- creativity, curiosity, calm, confidence, compassion, and clarity. Others may call that their higher self or Spirit. Those qualities that are at the core are “self-energy.” We know we are leading from our soul when those qualities are present and we relate to our parts with that understanding.

Throughout life’s path, even sometimes starting in-utero, we come across trauma or experiences that impact us negatively. As a result our parts shift and we develop protective qualities and the parts become burdened. Burdens can result in thoughts and behaviors that take a toll on our lives. A person who was born with a gift of being kind and helpful can shift to have that part be a people pleaser to avoid the pain of rejection. All parts have a good intention. In their efforts to protect us, parts can blend with us and take over leaving us no access to self-energy or ability to not “be” that part in the moment. We all have been there when anger takes over and suddenly we are screaming and seeing red. When looking back on it, we wonder why we did we ever say those things?? That is being blended. The key is recognizing the part and relating to it with compassion and love. Feeling that anger and putting a hand on the fire and sending it love. Hard right? When a women comes to a Horse Medicine session as a part of the Women’s Healing Package, we discuss what “parts” are blending with her and impacting her ability to lead with their soul in the world. We work together to befriend and love the parts.

Photo by: Le Minh Phuong

Where do the horses come in? Horses are magnificent “parts detectors.” They know when we are blended with a part and leading with agenda and not self. When we request the horse come to us and ask from a part that is anxious, the horse may not connect as well. When we have awareness of that anxiety and work with internal compassion, the horse feels that energy shift immediately. We get that feedback and their wisdom of what energy and parts need to be shifted. We can come into a healing session asking for their support on a topic of our own and through discussion and partnership with them discover what parts are needing healing. We can also come into session with the intention of taking the horse for a walk and discover our parts though the activity. What needs to be healed will show up. Every activity in life is a mirror to what needs to be dealt with, whether that be the comment a friend made that rubbed us the wrong way or a horse that won’t let you put the halter on. Those feelings and thoughts that bubble up are parts of us wanting to be healed. The horses are a compassionate, wise witness to our healing. Having a horse’s presence can increase our “self” energy needed for courage and calm we need to heal and remember the past. They are medicine to be with.
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I have also created a video with this content as well as a few more examples for those who prefer their content that way as well! If you have any questions or are interested in starting your Women’s Healing Package reach out! [email protected]