Dove Retreat

Today I visited a quiet part of Somerset and had an experiential day of Mindfulness, Meditation and Drumming with Horses. It was a really enlightening experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When we drummed with the horses they wandered over and stood next to us, sometimes just standing, or turning around as if to present a part of their body that required the vibration, the healing. With intention in our hearts, we could send love, compassion and healing to the horses, and to each other as we practiced this ancient ritual.

Quote from facilitator Graeme Green (Mindful Horse) “Drumming is one of the oldest healing modalities and remains recognised today by most holistic and alternative practitioners as a non-evasive aid to releasing physical and emotional blockages that affect the energetic body”.

Apart from the personal gain from engaging with this, I can use this practice to help keep all my lovely horse in good health and harmony within themselves and as individual members of the herd.

I am currently studying a diploma in Mindfulness, as it already seems to be a large part of the work I do as a counsellor and with equine assisted therapy and I aim to hold mindfulness workshops in 2018. Learning mindfulness techniques and being more in the ‘here and now’, can alter the chemistry within our body, lowering the raised levels of adrenalin and cortisol and help us to think about and respond to things, in a calmer way.

Sunday 28th May 2017    11am – 4pm  £40 per person, maximum 3 visitors so why not ask around and see if you have some friends you would like to do this with? Or treat someone to a birthday present? Ideal for CPD for professionals too. Themes can be adapted for requirement.

Mob: 07805548306   Email: claireryallcounselling@hotmail.com

Head, Heart & Hooves – Releasing Stress & Relaxation

 

Head, Heart & Hooves – Releasing Stress & Relaxation

Last week we had a workshop from 11am until 4pm with the theme of releasing stress and relaxation. It was a huge success and everyone said they got something from it. 3 visitors and myself took part in this special day.

We did some mindfulness, meditation, work with the ponies, learnt some new methods to release stress and made some lovely ‘keepsakes’.

The woodburner kept the shepherd’s hut really cosy warm and some beautifully colourful, handknitted woolen squares, were soon wrapped around legs and shoulders for that lovely snug and feeling ‘held’ way.

Lunch was a simple but delicious soup with rolls and followed by cakes!!

If you would like to experience one of these wellbeing days, please contact me on 07805548306, or look on the facebook page for The Healing Herd or email claireryallcounselling@hotmail.com

We would love to see you!

Knowing what the things in our lives are, that help us to feel safe and secure, is really helpful for our general wellbeing. These things can be used when feeling anxious or overwhelmed, to help calm us down and lower our anxiety or energy levels.

In our herd we have 2 new horses. A 15hh palomino mare and a 12hh pony. This next few months will be a settling-in period for them and it is very interesting watching the herd dynamics. Little Merlin seems to act as an anchor in the paddock with Cookie and new mare Pixie. Pixie follows Merlin around, grazes and lies down and generally hangs out with him. He also seems to put himself between Cookie and Pixie and this has been observed when Cookie has chased Pixie away from hay that I have put out or if Pixie wanders over to the fence that separates them from new mare Summer, with Syd and donkey Darwin. In that paddock Darwin seems to be a useful ‘anchor’, he is always calm and relaxed when there has been conflict over the fence which gets Syd very fidgety and restless.

Experiential sessions with the horses and one to one sessions in the quiet space of the hut can help clients identify their own anchors and find new ways to manage raised emotions and energy levels. This is a wonderful nurturing and healing way to improve clients’ wellbeing with great therapeutic benefit.

Equine assisted therapy – finding new ways to cope.

There is much in the news at the moment about destigmatising the whole mental health subject. People don’t like to think they fall into the category of mental illness, therefore don’t like to explore what it really is all about, especially may not go to the GP if they are feeling anxious or depressed as sometimes these ‘labels’ go on the record and is asked to be declared at new job interests.

However, I like to explain mental health as thinking health. Think about mental arithmetic, 1 + 1 = 2, the thinking is quite automatic as we learn this when we are young. The thinking, with the brain, gives us the answer. I like to say that I see mental health as thinking health, and thinking about ‘how am I going to cope with this concern?’ Coping with difficulties is key to moving forwards and not feeling stuck.

So I help clients find new ways to cope. To be able to think through what their options are and to learn positive, useful ways to have as a large part to their functioning.

Recognising the early warning signs, or triggers is important to discover, and then to put some thought into what has worked in the past, and to be doing these helpful habits, or skills, to feel that you are managing better.

I believe there is a continuum of wellbeing, let’s say it’s a range of 1 – 100. 1 is totally mentally well, and 100 is seriously mentally ill. And the 50, right in the centre is always drawn into my model too (literally, as I usually do a pencil drawing). Where would you put yourself? Where would you put someone who is really actually well in their general mental health? What do you need to happen to improve your wellbeing? And so we would work along this theme, recognising that there is movement for us all. We can all move up and down the continuum as life gives us different situations to experience.  Challenges and successes and our general way of life influence all of this.

In the way that I work with clients I also believe that our physical health and spiritual health are merging, working with our mind, giving messages and voice for each other too. My counselling approach includes a transpersonal model that integrates mind, body and soul, which is useful in empowering clients to manage their life in more meaningful, rewarding and lasting ways.

Spending time with the horses will help you discover the things that may be unresolved, may have been brushed to one side, may be deep in the unconscious, but we can help you to make better sense of what’s going on and find ways to cope. Spending time with horses can be a catalyst for change. Sometimes we have sessions with the horses and then some time in the quiet peaceful space of the shepherd’s hut, everyone is different and the work is adjusted accordingly.

 

Working with the horses and ponies we can explore trust issues that client’s may have, and identify themes to work forwards with. Experiencing trust in the presence of a horse can be a catalyst for change. This can be transferred into other relationships, personally and in the working environment.

‘Releasing Stress & Embracing Hope’

Stress can be exhausting, and many people are often in the fast lane of life. Our Wellbeing sessions can be private, 1 and 1/2 hours, or spend a day on a group workshop 10am – 4pm. We spend quality time, experiencing the positive effect of ‘Nurture with Nature’, working in the rural countryside. Just being outside with the elements and natural energies can help lift spirits and encourage positive attitudes. With trees and birds surrounding and holding the space for self development. We will also work closely with the horses/ponies and our donkey, learning more about ourselves as we observe them, meditate with them and share our ‘stories’ in the company of these wise and authentic equines.

Benefits: improved levels of self-esteem, confidence, communication and understanding of Self & others, decision making, coping skills, physical health to name but a few. These sessions help to recognise a buildup of stress and pressure in our lives, and to feel more able to look forwards, to enjoy our lives and be able to feel that sense of ‘hope’. To know that feeling of ‘desire and need’, to listen to what we feel what it is that we ‘want and need’ and have a more balanced sense of mind, body and spirit.

Session content has an Holistic approach, we spend time with the horses/ponies/donkey and this may include: relaxation exercises, meditations, Bach Flower remedies, Native American rituals and other nourishing ways of promoting Wellbeing.

‘Feeling down? Struggling to cope?’

Equine assisted therapy – working with issues of depression; anxiety; trauma and loss. Working with the horses and with one to one sessions in an integrated model to support and empower change for the client. We work in the field, in the all-weather surface arena and the Shepherd’s hut. This is for a client who wants to come on their own, or for couples.

I am an experienced qualified counsellor and have been a member of the BACP for 15 years and worked in schools, in Private Practice and for healthcare organisations. I am an Accredited member of the British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists.

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting The Healing Herd.