Whispering White Horse Stables -
Where Horses and Humans Connect
Equid-Nexus:
An Equine Engaged Parts Work Psychotherapy Model
Equid-Nexus is a model that is based upon Internal Family Systems (IFS) and IFS informed EMDR and is focused on healing relational trauma by fostering relational consciousness. It infuses internal and external attachment work to help people heal their traumas in real time within a real relationship. A person heals through identifying what parts of themselves are holding emotional pain from past attachment ruptures. When these parts are identified the person can help them release the pain of their burdens by increasing internal attunement to themselves, and change their interpersonal patterns by being present and focused on their growing relationship with their equine partner.
Please visit https://www.equid-nexus.com to learn about training in this model
or contact me for more information: jennpagone@equid-nexus.com
Integrating Horses into Healing - New Book
I am beyond thrilled to share that a new book "Integrating Horses into Healing" is now available for pre-order.
This is an amazing collection of knowledge from leaders in the field coming together to add their expertise in the practice of equine assisted services.
It was truly an honor to write a chapter (8) on IFS equine-engaged psychotherapy from my model Equid-Nexus and to represent The Natural Lifemanship Institute.
This book is for all practitioners - those who are interested and new to the field and seasoned facilitators.
Order now and use discount code PSYCH30, the total is $112 with shipping.
https://www.elsevier.com/books/integrating-horses-into-healing/meola/978-0-443-19195-4
Trauma Focused - Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (TF-EAP)
Relationships are often the core of distress for many people. Fractured connections and attachment ruptures can make daily interactions difficult and stressful. TF-EAP is an experiential and immediate way to work on interpersonal effectiveness, identifying and expressing needs, making requests in relationships, and deeply connecting with yourself and with others (horses or humans).
TF-EAP gives the client the direct opportunity to work through unhelpful or harmful self-perpetuating patterns, projections and re-enactments, and to understand the different “parts” of the self that need healing and a corrective experience with an equine partner. Horses provide immediate feedback which gives the client a unique opportunity to try out new ways of connecting and communicating. Internal Family Systems (IFS) informed Equine-Connected EMDR is currently offered on the ground.
Whispering White Horse Stables is an equine-assisted psychotherapy facility that offers trauma-focused programs to individuals, couples, and groups. EMDR and parts work is combined with Natural Lifemanship principles which results in a unique and powerful therapeutic model not offered anywhere else. I am an advanced certified professional and trainer for Natural Lifemanship.
"The benefits to this work are astounding and include: self-regulation, improved connection and relationship with self and others, increased self-esteem and self-efficacy, improved mood, decreased anxiety, mindfulness, insight, and emotional, somatic and cognitive healing."
Why Horses? A Personal Journey of Growth and Healing
This question has been asked and answered in so many ways but I believe it is best answered with a personal story. I was born and grew up on the Southside of Chicago. Prior to 2012 I had never even seen a real horse until I began working at a residential group home and EAP was part of the therapy program. Among the herd of 20 there was one horse that caught my eye, and not in a good way. This very dark horse was gigantic (or at least it seemed to me at the time) and I did not want to be around it at all. Every time I would take the residents to the barn and work with this horse it would produce physical sensations and emotions within me that I did not understand. Soon I began dreaming of this horse and examining what was coming up for me. After many months I allowed this horse to approach me. I nervously stood still but this time something was different… I was curious. And as my curiosity grew the closer he came to me. And then he placed his head on my heart… and everything changed. I finally got it. I felt it. I experienced a change within myself that could have never happened with words, nor did it ever happen with a human. As I allowed myself to feel my emotions and connect with this thoroughbred, something shifted inside of me and I felt a corrective experience I wasn’t even aware that I so desperately needed.
At that point I realized “why horses”; they are living breathing sentient beings just as unique as humans are, with their own personalities, stories and ways of attaching, detaching, dissociating, ignoring, and resisting - just like humans do in relationships. But unlike humans, horses are evolutionary wired to be in the moment (due to being a prey animal) and to provide feedback in the moment. Something humans have difficulty consistently doing.
My “why” set fire to my curiosity to learn as much as I possibly could. I became a certified mental health professional with Eagala and a few years later I began the rigorous process of becoming advanced certified as a mental health clinician with the Natural Lifemanship Institute (NL), and became a trainer. This model utilizes the neurobiology of trauma and relationships and believes that “relationships are the vehicle for change”, which aligned perfectly with my in-office clinical psychotherapy work.
Many years ago my journey shifted significantly while I was learning to ride. Since I had only worked with horses on the ground up until that point, I wanted to expand my experiences with horses and connect with them in a different way. I found a connection of a lifetime with a horse named Casper. After months of riding lessons and late night grazing sessions the owner of the barn asked if I wanted to buy him since our connection was undeniable. I also believed he would make a wonderful therapy horse. It was then that I realized that I wanted to expand my services to include equine assisted psychotherapy with Casper as a teammate. Since then I have absorbed everything I could about horse behavior, even becoming certified in equine massage and taking barefoot trimming classes.
Whispering White Horse Stables opened in Marengo, IL in November 2018. Sadly, Casper is no longer with us, but his spirit is embedded in our continued mission to provide transformative healing through the power of connection in relationships. The therapy herd now consists of 9 horses, 2 goats and our barn manager cat named Cosmo.
Connect with the Herd
