Horse Journey

“My sons have both gained more confidence and are not so anxious in social situations as a result of working with Karin, Rollie and Link. It has been wonderful hearing them say that they love working with Karin and the horses and they always look forward to the sessions. You, Link and Rollie are gems, Karin! Luv ya!”
~ Sheila T., Kelowna, November 13, 2012

“Working with Karin and her horses, Rollie and Link, has changed my life. Before meeting with Karin, I was a struggling addict. Because I am a mother of two young children I desperately wanted to stop using so as not to pass the life of addiction on. For years, I had been to various counsellors to combat this drug issue, however, nobody was effective like Karin.  As the sessions began we established my intent to become sober. But by around the third session I was going back on my goal and telling myself it wasn’t that big of a deal to use. Karin heard me out and then proceeded to explain to me how addiction works, reiterating my goal to me and telling me how I could do as I wished but that she thought it was important I accomplished this. It was difficult but after a few tears it came down to the fear I had of not being able to do it. I left that day with concrete goals of what I had to do to make sure I didn’t use again. I went home and executed each goal on that list and have not used since. Not only that but in our subsequent sessions we delved into other issues I needed to work on to become more the person I wanted to be, such as, anger management, incorporating healthy recreation and dealing with anxiety.

The horses, Rollie and Link, offer a different aspect to the traditional therapy session. Connecting with them has a therapeutic quality and there is a lot to learn from them with respect to being contented in the moment. After having a one-on-one counsel with Karin, going out to work with them provides a wonderful balance.

The life goals I originally wanted with I first contacted Karin are being accomplished and for the first time in over 15 years I am truly happy as an authentic sober person. Karin has helped me along the way hearing my issues, validating my progress and guiding me through the work required to overcome these hurdles.”
~ Amy, Kelowna, November 22, 2012

“Despite the cold weather, the experience of watching you work with Rollie and see the demonstration of his innate empathy and wisdom, warmed my heart.  I must confess that after the group meditation and then “tuning in” with Rollie I felt calmer and more centered than I have felt in ages.  What you and your horses are doing is truly amazing!  Thank you for the opportunity to see your program in action.  I will definitely recommend you to my clients and their parents.  Also if you are doing any workshops in the future, I would be very interested.”
~ Mandy Tingey, Tanglewood Tutoring, Kelowna, April 14, 2012

“I enjoyed my visit and it was kind of the weather to cooperate with your demo.  Winston Churchill said: ”There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”  I think your plan to integrate counselling with horse contact is very interesting and I think that your horses are quiet enough to allow strangers to approach them and benefit from just “feeling their vibe”.  I don’t know of anything more relaxing than grooming horses, it was interesting to see Larissa ‘let down’ during the time she spent with Rollie.”
~ Ralph Livingston, Professional Horse Trainer, – Kelowna, April 14, 2012

“My daughter Kyra is 12 years old and has been working with Karin Bauer over the past year on Natural Horsemanship. Kyra has a great love of horses and previously rode at a therapeutic riding farm. She struggles in her day to day life with learning disabilities and several anxiety related disorders. Initially her experience on the therapeutic farm was a positive one however it became clear that with the general busyness of the farm, volunteers and riders Kyra’s anxieties were becoming elevated. Despite many attempts by the staff to allay Kyra’s fears we could not find an approach that would give Kyra confidence and success to continue riding.

Karin’s work with Kyra has helped her to make an emotional connection with the horses and being able to read the horse’s mood has allowed her to work through and connect with her own anxieties. This has been a significant step forward for Kyra which has brought about confidence in her horse training work and personal life; she now believes that she can challenge herself and that she is capable of following through. Recently we have seen Kyra riding again, smiling and enjoying herself!

I would highly recommend Karin’s Equine Facilitated Learning Program for any child or youth struggling with life challenges or various learning disabilities.” ~ Lorraine Dunlop, Kelowna, April 2012

If you would like to explore Your Journey further…

Questions, or interested in experiencing Equine Facilitated Coaching and Personal Development sessions in Kelowna? Please contact Karin Bauer, BSW, RSW by calling 250-860-1964 or karin@horsejourney.com

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