“There is something about the gentle wisdom in a horse’s eye that can put even the most troubled soul at peace.”
A desire to serve, guided from Above, helped you enter this sacred path. Ministry. Clergy are faced with copious challenges and stressors specific to their vocation. Ultimately rewarding, yet over time, many pastors encounter struggles with transitions, leadership, self-doubt, or friendships. Schedules become intense with life/work balance, self-care and identity squeezed in. Also, coping with emotions such as grief. The human aspect while serving as a pastor is tenuous.
You became connected to the Davidson Clergy Center for a specific reason. A colleague may have shared the overwhelming growth and clarity they gained. Perhaps a feeling of “burn out” lead you, needing respite and time to question and reflect. Maybe just empathy, support and understanding. Whatever the reason, the team of trained professionals at DCP are supporting you. Their intent is a desire for you to achieve optimum growth in your journey. Physically. Mentally. Spiritually. Totally focusing on your needs.
Respite, during an intense week of discussing inner thoughts may be in the form of space. A place to be, to breathe, to let go. It may be at the lake, a park, or even a farm – Willow Equine! A unique and tranquil setting. At Willow Equine, you are greeted by 40 acres, nature, and animals, specifically horses! It is not riding, horsemanship, OR therapy for horses, rather a time to examine your experiences, reflect, and transform. There are no specific steps to take, goal to reach nor right or wrong. The equine specialists want you to breathe, be open, and connect! Take time to examine your emotions, commitments, and experiences thus transforming thoughts and qualms into positive, tangible, and lasting results.
Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning is experiencing rapid growth around the globe. It is a best practice model of solution-oriented psychotherapy that incorporates horses experientially for growth and learning. Clients work in a collaborative ground-based effort with horses, a licensed mental health professional and an equine specialist. Willow Equine offers a non-judgmental space for personal healing and growth through work with the horses. Equine-assisted work promotes more effective changes and faster growth compared with traditional clinical and psycho-educational approaches. People typically learn best by doing. Life lessons become more deeply rooted when individuals experience them both physically and cognitively.
Experiencing and equine assisted learning session while attending a DCP program is powerful and exhausting! We want you to step out of the car onto our 40-acre farm, take a deep breath of fresh air and authentically reconnect. You take the lead in your movement at the farm and in life. The experience is immediate and fully felt. This allocates the time for learning and self-exploration, for developing problem solving strategies and interpersonal dynamics. Lessons have a deeper meaning when you can see, touch, and smell what is happening!
Truth is no rounder than a horse’s eye – Mark Halprin