2025 Workshops & Retreats! All events take place in Petaluma, CA.
Interconn-
EQ-tedness
“We too are part of Nature, therefore constantly changing, so we are always looking at Nature from a different viewpoint. We are a little piece of continual change looking at an infinite quantity of continual change. Small wonder that it gets quite exciting.” ~B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
This workshop offers a focus on developing our connection with nature, in the company of horses. We will spend our time exploring how horses experience the world through observing, interacting and being present with horses, ourselves and the nature around us. We will then explore techniques in which we can increase our awareness and connection with the natural world. We invite you to join us in this space where we strive to take the time out of busy schedules for grounding time with horses and an exploration of our interconnectedness to nature.
Date: Sunday April 6th, 2025 Time: 10am-12pm $125
Sign up for InterconnEQtedness
EQ-uilibrium: Stress Reduction with Horses
Whether you are looking to spend time with horses, quiet the “what ifs” of the future or reconnect with yourself...this is the mini retreat for you!
Come spend time in beautiful Petaluma, California with our horses. This semi-structured mini retreat offers you a chance to guide yourself back to the present moment, reduce stress and find more inner peace with the help of horses.
What can you expect from this mini retreat?
We will guide you through experiences to help you become grounded in the present moment, find the harmony within and explore mindfulness with horses. This workshop is not intended to be psychotherapy, but rather a space to find ways to reduce stress through building a tool box of techniques and practicing these tools in real time with the help of horses and nature. Our hope is that you leave this workshop feeling more energized and rested and with some tools to manage stress in your everyday life.
Next date: Sunday April 13th 10-12 $125
Sign Up for EQuilibrium
Introduction to Psychotherapy with Horses
If you are interested in exploring the field of equine assisted services (EAS), this workshop is for you! The content will include an overview of the field of EAS, specifics on the benefits of incorporating horses into mental health treatment and the unique role of the horse in this collaboration. We will also review some of the major approaches and styles for this work. This workshop is intended for those interested in entering the field as a professional along with those interested in finding out more about how the process works in order to find a good fit for their therapeutic goals. The workshop will include both an informational/learning component and hands on experiences with horses.
Sunday, April 13th 2025 Time: 2pm-4pm $175
Sign up for Introduction to Psychotherapy with Horses
THANK-EQ
Join the herd to focus on how horses can bring us into the present moment and teach us about gratitude. The habit of practicing gratitude can help us achieve our goals and improve our mental wellbeing. We will spend grounded time with the horses and explore ways to cultivate a gratitude practice that we can apply in our daily lives.
Sunday April 27th, 2025 10am-12pm $75
SPring Into Balance
Change Your Lead and RestStopRetreat (www.reststopretreat.com) are excited to invite you to a Spring Into Balance Retreat! This retreat is designed to support and rejuvenate participants through different kinds of yoga, relaxation, rest and engagement with horses. We will be celebrating moving into spring, allowing ourselves to tap into fluidity, renewal and blossoming, while we build community with one another and the horses.
What to Expect from Spring Into Balance?
Spring Into Balance offers a unique opportunity to spend time with horses as they help guide us through a journey of rediscovering our mental, emotional and physical flexibility, learning the multiple ways we can rest and find peace in our life through being present. You will flow through the day engaged in mindful activities with the horses including yoga segments, guided meditation with the herd - all encompassing the theme of spring renewal. All are welcome and no experience with horses or yoga is necessary to benefit from this unique offering. Lunch is included.
Date: Sunday May 18th, 2025 Time: 10am-3pm $275
Sign up for Spring Into Balance
Cultivating Self-Compassion Alongside Horses
Join us for this transformative experience where you will learn to quiet that inner voice that criticizes you and learn the power of self compassion. As defined by Dr. Kristin Neff (a prominent self compassion researcher) "Self-compassion entails treating oneself with kindness, recognizing one’s shared humanity, and being mindful when considering negative aspects of oneself." Neff, K. D. (2016)* Horses are a wonderful co-teacher of these concepts based on their their ability to live in the present moment (not the future or the past), their herd dynamics (being in community versus isolating) and their non-judgemental approach (we can learn a lot from them!). This semi-structured mini retreat offers you a chance to find out more ways to be kind to yourself, cultivate self-compassion and an opportunity to practice tools alongside the horses.
What can you expect from this mini retreat?
We will guide you through experiences to help you learn and practice self compassion, the antidote to a harsh inner critic, with horses. This workshop is not intended to be psychotherapy, but rather a space to find ways to reduce the negative impacts of a harsh internal critic building a tool box of self compassion and mindfulness techniques and practicing these tools in real time with the help of horses and nature. Our hope is that you leave this workshop feeling more tender, loving and gentle with some tools to practice self compassion regularly in your everyday life.
*Neff, K. D. (2016). The self-compassion scale is a valid and theoretically coherent measure of self-compassion. Mindfulness, 7, 264-274.
Date: Sunday, June 1, Time: 10am-12pm $125