Wine Country Times

Windhorse Full Circle Coaching recently welcomed a group from Women's Recovery Services, a nonprofit founded in 1975 that helps families recover from a mother’s addiction, for a weekend retreat as part of its Weekend Discoveries program.

Windhorse uses the Equine Gestalt Coaching method, an experiential approach that involves the active participation of horses as partners in the client's exploratory process. By combining the integrative approach of equine interaction with positive coaching, somatic awareness, guidance and gestalt methodology, this method assists the client in examining their life and choices to help them grow into a positive future.

Deb Jackson, the founder of Windhorse, said that this was the second time a group from WRS had been to the horse ranch as part of a program seeking creative and community-building experiences.

"There were nine clients and two staff, many of whom had very little experience around horses at all, but were game to have this new adventure," Jackson said. "Their goal was to build a sense of community, and to have a day outdoors in nature in a new way."

Weekend Discoveries is a new WRS program that was started last September by two board members, Marianne Estournes and Judy Ryder, who volunteered to organize and manage it.

“The idea of the classes was to bring some fun, learning, expression, play and, hopefully, something new to give the women some juice on the weekends,” Ryder told the Wine Country Times. “The classes and volunteers are a gift to the women, not only for what they bring but also for the message they give that says, ‘we care about you.’”

Jackson shared more information with Wine Country Times about Windhorse's mission and how the company came to be.  

"Horses have been a part of my life from day one, not in a competitive sense, rather as friends and healing presences who appeared always just when I needed them," Jackson said. "As a senior, I had an opportunity to introduce a group of foster children to riding lessons in Santa Rosa and was able to observe their ability to communicate and connect, and to grow emotionally with those horses, in ways they were not able to access with the adult humans in their lives."

According to WebMD, equine-assisted programs can help people improve self-esteem, self-awareness, confidence, emotional regulation and empathy. Behavioral problems such as relationship issues, grief, anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders and addiction are all things horses have been known to treat.

The EGC method is different from other types of equine coaching in that sessions can take many forms based on each person’s needs.

Jackson shared how the Equine Gestalt Coaching method helped people going through addiction recovery. 

"As a coaching modality we are not focused on recovery, or fixing any particular issue. We approach the client as a whole person. We create experiences which allow them to discover their own limiting beliefs, and go to the source of the pain the addiction is trying to distract from," Jackson said. "Partnering with horses enables us to learn how to access and work with our own energy."

Jackson said that as therapy animals, horses are unique because they are herd animals which helps them form special connections with people. 

"They have a very strong sense of self preservation and, as prey, are at the low end of the food chain," Jackson said. "They create a sense of awe and often affection with their beauty, and they are able to 'read' human energy in a very intricate and fine level. Their senses are powerful, and we are attracted to their beauty and their power. Because they are very much herd animals, and they are inclined to connect deeply in many ways that we need to learn about, and feel healed by."

Sally Seymour of Seymour & McIntosh Photography photographed the women from WRS during their weekend at Windhorse, which kicked off April 15. Seymour and Jim McIntosh are no strangers to animals and can often be seen volunteering at Napa County’s Animal Shelter, photographing four-footed clients to help them find forever homes.

"The images are in chronological order. What struck me was how individuals' facial expressions and body language changed as their teachers (two- and four-footed) began to break past their defenses," Seymour said. "I feel very lucky to have been a witness to this work." 

Located in Santa Rosa, Calif., Women’s Recovery Services works to break the cycle of addiction for women by providing a safe, healthy residence that allows neglected children to remain with their mothers while they learn the life skills necessary to become responsible community members.

"I have decades of experience with a variety of nonprofit organizations, and am extremely impressed with this organization, their dedication, the design of their program, their staff and their clients’ commitment and courage," Jackson said of WRS. "I wish them success and urge the community to support them in whatever way they can. We certainly will be!"