00;00;18;07 - 00;00;40;18 Speaker 1 Welcome to Dr. Rebecca's. Let's Talk Horses May the Force of the Horse Be with You Podcast show hosted by Dr. Rebecca Wara-Goss. In this podcast, we discuss all things horse related, especially in mental health, research, human-animal bond, and the helping industries nationally and internationally, and explore the phenomenon of the horse-human connection. 00;00;45;21 - 00;01;21;22 Speaker 2 September is a month of healing and hope. During September, we recognize National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, and together we can help save lives and help people overcome addiction. As we observe this special month out of the year, we at Eudaemonia Equine Connections, Inc believe in the transformative healing power of equine-assisted therapy. Just as the causes we honor this month. 00;01;22;13 - 00;01;55;01 Speaker 2 Awareness, prevention, recovery and support thrive through community. So do our clients as they heal through the bond with horses. In addition to bringing awareness, we would like to reduce the stigma and shame associated with mental health issues and substance use and part of healing and recovery is the strength that comes with a vulnerability of sharing our trauma stories with our community. 00;01;56;11 - 00;02;24;04 Speaker 2 Therefore, here we share our testimonials of individuals who have experienced the benefit and the healing power of horses and the hope, wellness and recovery that they provided. 00;02;26;22 - 00;03;04;01 Speaker 2 This is a reading on behalf of a client who experienced equine-assisted mental health treatment with our nonprofit Eudaemonia Equine Connections, Inc. When I first came to Eudaemonia Equine Connections. I was in crisis, reactive and unstable, shut down and burdened, had enormous trust issues and difficulty communicating verbally of and to people, but the horses helped to bridge that distrust and allowed space for wordless moments. 00;03;04;29 - 00;03;37;27 Speaker 2 They are always accepting, however you come, always model transparency, do not judge you for your past or shame you for your present. Nor are they perfect they, too, have traumas and stressful memories that they outwardly wear. But despite these challenges, they are amazing examples of how to just live in the moment, how to learn, how to be curious, how to trust, and how to breathe. 00;03;38;18 - 00;04;07;29 Speaker 2 Dancer was the first therapy horse that I had sessions with. At first, she was also shut down, disengaged, and closed off to connection. With time, I believe we both were able to soften each other. To accept each other as we were, not ask too much of each other, but also to ask things of each other. She was calm and steady, and her willingness to listen and receive was a good place for me to start as well. 00;04;09;19 - 00;04;47;14 Speaker 2 She will always be loved, and is a steady reminder of what was, what is, and what can be. After Dancer, Autumn became my primary therapy horse. Maybe ironically, her personality is quite opposite from Dancer: chipper, quirky, silly, open, chatty, and snuggly. Where Dancer may have pushed away, Autumn pushes into. She pulls me out of wherever I’m at and places me into a calm, safe, and more open space 00;04;47;14 - 00;05;18;06 Speaker 2 And she does so intuitively and lovingly, and with a bit of sass. She is forever unapologetic of who she is, and her big personality resonates like light refracting through a gemstone. She wants you to know that you are loved, just as you are. Despite losing the steadiness of Dancer’s support, Autumn’s care has felt like a natural step forward 00;05;18;06 - 00;06;07;02 Speaker 2 in my journey to wellness. I am forever grateful for these two horses’ willingness and ability to read me, to read themselves back to me, to be teachers, curiosity companions, mirrors, rivers, and most importantly just horses just as they are, have been, and will forever be. -Dawn 00;06;11;18 - 00;06;45;07 Speaker 2 This is a reading on behalf of a client who participated in equine-assisted mental health treatment at our nonprofit Eudaemonia Equine Connections, Inc. Each. When I first started therapy here, I was struggling. I knew I had anxiety, but I didn't know why I was so sad. Regular talk therapy wasn't enough and wasn't working. I needed something different. I stumbled upon Eudaemonia Equine Connections online somehow 00;06;45;24 - 00;07;12;27 Speaker 2 and connected with Dr. Rebecca. At our first meeting, I was introduced to all the horses. I chose to start working with Truffles first. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. Truffles is the most sensitive of the horses. She's beautiful, loving and gentle. But she also knows what it's like to be mistreated and takes a bit of time to trust. 00;07;13;06 - 00;07;44;29 Speaker 2 Just like me. The best way I can describe it is it was almost like an emotional vacuum. I was grooming her and all of a sudden I just burst into tears. Uncontrollable tears. I could feel the sadness just pouring out of me. I was quickly diagnosed with complex PTSD and severe depression. I was very new to working with horses and Truffles needed someone with a little more experience. 00;07;45;13 - 00;08;12;20 Speaker 2 So I started working with Dancer. Dancer was the lead mare of this herd. She was confident, beautiful, loving, playful, curious, sassy and loved attention. She taught me more about myself in the last year than I even knew was possible. She taught me it's okay to be a little broken and the inside and on the outside. As long as you keep standing up when you fall down. 00;08;13;12 - 00;08;41;13 Speaker 2 Broken crayons still color. It's okay to be sad. It's to be angry. It's okay to cry as long as you move forward. You can still be beautiful, even if your body doesn't do everything it used to. Most importantly, she reminded me every week I am worth being loved. She loved me when I didn't feel it from anyone else, even myself. 00;08;43;00 - 00;08;49;19 Speaker 2 She helped me heal scars. I didn't even know where there. I miss her. 00;08;52;06 - 00;09;21;04 Speaker 2 Truffles is the best. I started working with Truffles regularly a few weeks before dancers passing. She is the most sensitive. Truffles probably understands me better than any of the other horses. She understands my pain, my loneliness, and my loss. When I lost my dog of 15 years, she let me cry on her for what I felt like forever. 00;09;22;15 - 00;10;00;19 Speaker 2 I just hugged her and cried and she just hugged me back. She senses us what I need. What I am feeling and tells me, especially when I don't know. I started doing liberty work with her and that is the most amazing and healing experience I've ever participated in. Truffles has helped wounds I never thought would close. Juniper, is the sweetest pony around, Juniper and Truffles hang out together, and she comes along when we take Truffles into the arena. 00;10;01;07 - 00;10;13;10 Speaker 2 She always is the first to come to say hello and love snuggles. Juniper represents peace and always makes sure you know she sees you. 00;10;16;17 - 00;10;41;24 Speaker 2 Lily loves her people. She is the kindest of souls. If you're feeling even the least bit sad or lonely, Lily will instantly lift your spirits. There have been times where I just needed to be in the presence of love and that was Lily. The only thing she loves more than hugs, kisses and snuggles is playing in water. 00;10;45;29 - 00;11;11;28 Speaker 2 Autumn is the Disney princess of the herd. She is beauty. She is grace. She is the sweetest. She is fairly new and still in training as a therapy horse, but still gives me comfort when I need it. Horses have a natural and beautiful way of seeing inside the soul. That's how they know what we are feeling, even when we don't. 00;11;13;04 - 00;11;35;17 Speaker 2 Autumn is playful and knows how to make you smile, no matter how sad you are. I think that's her way of helping. She is very curious and can be easily distracted by the smell of treats or a thought of food, but has more love to give than she can fit in her whole body. Her gentle soul inspires joy. 00;11;36;21 - 00;12;19;01 Speaker 2 She provides connection and teaches me how to connect. I absolutely love working with her. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this girl. I am happier because of her. -Aki Kristine. This Is My Story: My Lived Experiences Finding Hope, Healing, and 00;12;19;17 - 00;12;24;17 Speaker 3 Healing, and Purpose Through Horses. 00;12;24;17 - 00;12;52;15 Speaker 2 As the founder of Eudaemonia Equine Connections, Inc. and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over a decade, I’ve spent years helping others heal from trauma in both traditional office-based counseling and equine-assisted mental health services. My work as a psychotherapist and my passion for equine-assisted mental health treatment is not just professional—it’s deeply personal. 00;12;54;16 - 00;13;38;04 Speaker 2 For as long as I can remember. I've carried the weight of trauma. I am a survivor of childhood abuse, sexual abuse, adoption related struggles, physical cognitive disabilities, severe bullying, and domestic violence. I grew up feeling isolated, struggling with self-doubt, low self-esteem, and a profound lack of worthiness. For years, I privately battled the darkness of complex post-traumatic stress disorder, depression with suicidality and self-harm and social anxiety with panic attacks. 00;13;39;19 - 00;14;10;28 Speaker 2 At times, it felt like the pain was too much to bear, making it hard to believe there were reasons to keep living. But in those darkest moments, horses saved my life. Since childhood, I have always felt connected to horses. There's something profound about the way horses relate to us. They have an innate ability to see you without needing words. 00;14;11;11 - 00;14;56;13 Speaker 2 They understand what we’re going through. They respond to emotions without judgment, offering a safe space from inner turmoil and protection from an outside world that can feel impossible to face. Throughout my childhood and adolescence, my passion for horses gave me the strength to endure adversity. Later, as a young adult, they gave me the courage to seek professional help, begin my trauma healing journey, and instilled the tenacity to keep living. At my lowest points 00;14;57;02 - 00;15;32;20 Speaker 2 it was the love and connection with these incredible animals, and my horse-crazy endeavors, that soothed and stabilized me. The simple act of being with a horse whether brushing them, walking beside them, or feeling their breath against my skin kept me grounded and present. They provided a sentient presence that helped me feel seen and heard, gave me permission to be my authentic self, and helped me find a sense of inner peace and worthiness. 00;15;35;15 - 00;16;23;02 Speaker 2 Through my healing journey with horses, I connected with myself in profound and transpersonal ways, discovering the meaning and purpose of my life. This purpose became the foundation of my life's work and my doctoral research. In journey to complete a Ph.D. in East-West psychology I dedicated ten years to studying the healing power of horses, specifically focusing on female veterans with military-related PTSD, many of whom had experienced military sexual trauma. Through equine-facilitated psychotherapy 00;16;23;23 - 00;16;56;17 Speaker 2 I witnessed how horses helped these women find hope and trust in the healing and recovery process. Many described feeling spiritually understood by their horses in ways that transcended words. Like me, many of these women found that despite the burden of their trauma, their relationships with horses could offer something that traditional therapy sometimes couldn’t a space to be vulnerable without fear of judgment, 00;16;57;18 - 00;17;36;21 Speaker 2 A mirror to reflect their emotions, and a steady companion who helped them reconnect with their humanity and worthiness. And most importantly, a reason to live. The stories of the women I interviewed moved me deeply, and I felt compelled to honor their request, to share their voices with the world. As a professional, I am always mindful of the ethical responsibility to maintain boundaries and carefully navigate self-disclosure, especially in the therapeutic space. 00;17;38;07 - 00;18;19;18 Speaker 2 As therapists, we hold our clients’ healing in sacred trust, and our own stories must be shared with care. A question I often ask myself, and pass on to interns and other mental health professionals, is: “How can we truly understand what it means to experience trauma and adversity to heal and overcome it, if we have not experienced and done the work ourselves?” Through my own healing journey, I have come to recognize that part of deeper healing lies in the empowerment of vulnerability 00;18;20;10 - 00;19;06;02 Speaker 2 The importance of advocacy and the role of community support. We must not be ashamed or afraid of our trauma stories, nor the negative experiences that shaped our lives. There is strength in authenticity and in showing up to the world as our full selves. Like the courageous women who shared their trauma stories in my research, I too feel compelled to share my story not as a clinician, but as a fellow survivor, an advocate for mental health healing, and a human being seeking to contribute to the collective healing of our world. 00;19;07;18 - 00;19;51;22 Speaker 2 While it is not easy, I believe that sharing my struggles with PTSD, suicidality and the transformative role horses played in my life can help break the stigma surrounding mental health and inspire others to seek help. I want to share my story, not just to reflect on my own journey, but to bring awareness to the importance of mental health healing. During Suicide Prevention Month, I feel it's more important than ever to share my story, not only to honor the lives of those we lost, but to remind others that healing is possible. 00;19;52;22 - 00;20;59;00 Speaker 2 Horses helped save my life and I believe they can save others too. If my story resonates with you, I invite you to join us on this journey. Together, we can help heal more people to find peace, healing and hope. -Dr. Rebecca. Horses are integrated into the counseling environment because they have a unique ability to connect with people on an emotional level, offering nonjudgmental companionship. 00;20;59;18 - 00;21;29;29 Speaker 2 This bond allows individuals to feel supported and understood, which is critical in the journey toward recovery and mental wellness. Similar to the lived experiences of the testimonials that were shared, many individuals have participated in Equine-Assisted Services who report that their sessions with horses were the turning point in their healing and recovery. Here at Eudaemonia Equine Connections Inc. 00;21;30;14 - 00;21;55;05 Speaker 2 we are committed to helping others experience this healing. If you feel moved to support our mission, please consider making a donation or sharing this post or podcast with others. Every contribution and sharing awareness of our work helps provide equine-assisted mental health programs to those in need, ensuring that no one has to walk through their trauma alone. 00;21;56;09 - 00;22;29;12 Speaker 2 Your support can help save lives. During September's Suicide Awareness and Addiction Recovery Month let's connect to protect because as a community, together we can bring awareness, healing, and hope. And so whether you choose to donate to our nonprofit, share our messages or simply engage with us, your actions will make a difference in helping more people find their way to recovery and remind them they're never alone. 00;22;31;05 - 00;22;58;09 Speaker 2 May the force of the horse be with you. 00;23;04;05 - 00;23;25;20 Speaker 1 If you enjoyed this episode, please click to follow, subscribe and leave a review. And for all the shows, notes and links, visit our website at equineconnections.org for additional information, or if you would like to support this podcast show, or Eudaemonia Equine Connections nonprofit programs with donations or sponsorship, or would like to be a featured guest on Dr. Rebecca's Let's Talk Horses 00;23;25;21 - 00;23;43;18 Speaker 1 May the Force of the Horse Be With You Podcast Show, then please visit our website or email at info@equineconnections.org. Thank you so much for joining us today and we hope to have you here with us next time.