Our Why
Living In Courage program is offered for the courageous people whose life’s passion and work is to serve and help others who are in need, whether that be humans or animals. Courage is a word that is used often around bravery and strength, and yes those have a place within the concept of courage but courage and the root of courage goes deeper. The Webster definition of courage is: “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” The root of courage comes from the Latin root “cor” which means heart. Courage recognizes not only our bravery, strength and ability to withstand, but also our inner strength to show up and be seen in the midst of everyday challenges.
Each of you got into the helping profession for your own “why”. Whether that being wanting to make an impact or a difference, wanting to see change, wanting to help people, wanting to help animals, and any of reason from feeling called or having a very genuine experience that brought you here. Within the field of helping there is a constant input of love and hurt. Within your passions and care that drew each of you into the field, the field is also accompanied with compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma that we see, feel, and encounter on a daily basis.
Why Horses?
Horses are amazing beings who have a legacy for being powerful, hard working, helpers to humans, beauty, grace, and now healers. Horses show a vast array of qualities that we as humans inherently live within us that we often need to protect due to hurt that we encounter along the way.
Horses live from their heart-they lead through their instinct and are driven by finding harmony within themselves and within their environment. Horses draw on balance of survival and peace. There is an energetic healing and a constant flow of connection with horses.
When you watch horses in their herd, they are connected, they are peacefully aware, they are not judging, they are sensing, they are communicating, they are protecting one another, they are in relationship, they are answering the two questions we all long to have answered “Where do I belong?” and “Am I safe?”. There is so much we can learn from horses if we choose to step into their world and allow them to be teachers.
In such a fast paced world, horses teach us the beauty and importance of slowing down and connecting within so that we can access the power to connect to others and the world outside of us in a whole-hearted type of way. The experience of being with horses not only has a biological impact but also a heart-felt impact.
Who is Living In Courage Program For?
The Living In Courage program is designed for mental health professionals, medical professionals, teachers, pastors, pastor’s wives, and veterinarians, those that have chosen to be helpers of people and animal’s hearts and bodies. This group is created as both a proactive and in-need group. So whether you are curious and wanting to grow or if you are struggling and feeling completely disconnected (or somewhere in-between), you are welcome in whatever walk of life you are in.
How Does This Program Work?
The Living In Courage program is designed for helping professionals who want to connect with others in their profession. We work from a values and connection framework to help those who are feeling like they are proactively wanting to do some self-care, facing burnout or compassion fatigue, or if you are struggling with the impacts of vicarious trauma. The group is structured as a day long program that starts at 9a and ends at around 5p.
The day of, we will meet at the ranch at 9a and begin the full day program. There will be breakfast snacks while we check in and get to know one another and learn about your desires for the day. We will spend the majority of the day working with the horses and getting to the core of values, courage, heart connection, compassion, and revitalize our passion . Lunch will be provided at the ranch. We will finish up the end of the day around 5p.
Cost: Donation-Based—we just ask that you put down a deposit to hold your spot because we do keep the group sizes small and want to make sure that we have space available for all who want to come. The heart of our work is to truly serve those who have spent their life help others and we do not want cost to be a discouraging factor for those who want to participate in a program.
