12 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Touched By A Horse
By Lauren R. Giannini
A
s horse lovers, we all
have stories about how an
equine helped us through
tough personal or professional
experiences in the bumpy track
called life. We enjoy basking in
the now that is part and parcel
of the equine nature. In terms of
therapeutic benefts, we know that
time in the saddle is the cure: a
good trail ride, lesson, competition,
whatever form it takes. There is
great truth in the saying that the
outside of a horse is good for the
inside of a person.
Melisa Pearce founded Touched
By A Horse® as a result of her
therapeutic Gestalt work, spanning
more than 20 years of practice
and coaching individuals, groups
and businesses. She utilized what
she terms the “clairesentience”
of equines to reach deep inside
clients to assist in the release of
unfnished business that can prevent us from living positively,
achieving goals and experiencing joy.
The results often border on miraculous, thanks to the horses.
Even people with no equestrian background connect with Melisa’s
gentle horses. Interactive experiences, integrated with Melisa’s
methods, help people to become more grounded, centered,
confdent and secure. These sessions often lead to life changing
releases of old pains, fears and traumas.
Melisa has taken the concept of equine-facilitated therapy to
a whole new level with Equine Gestalt Coaching®. “I started on
this path back in the 1980s as a pioneer in doing equine healing,
when the concept was edgy and very new,” said Melisa. “I’ve had
horses all my life. I have been a therapist and trainer and it all
comes together in a perfect recipe for this new program.”
Four years ago Melisa turned her energies to developing EGC®
into a 600 hour certifcation course that takes about two years to
complete. The fve central components are: Somatics (horse and
human body energy and chakras); Gestalt Theory and Coaching
Model (dynamics of Human Behavior as therapy and coaching);
Facilitation (individual and group, processing of experiences);
Business Development (fnding clients, building your business,
creating your business presence); and Equine Knowledge (basic
understanding of horse behavior and management, selection,
proper facility).
“Probably most important is the equine component,” stated
Melisa. “It means taking what you know about horses to a new
level of partnership and applying it. People need to have one or
two of the fve components to qualify for the certifcation program.”
The curriculum is taught in teleseminars and, in addition, there
are eight mandatory intensive four day weekends led by Melisa.
The EGC® program currently has 73 students from the US and
Canada. In 2013 the international program will launch all over the
world, with interest already expressed by people in New Zealand,
Australia, Dubai, Italy, Mexico and South Africa.
“First of all, our students are working on themselves, to resolve
their own confuence – you can’t help someone if you share the
same issue – and we’re seeing massive transformations in our
students,” said Melisa. “EGC® has 19 graduates now and 16
are already involved in full-bloom practices. Where it gets really
exciting is that this is the most comprehensive training program
I know of this kind. EGC® method simply takes horse-facilitated
therapy training several levels deeper. The horse is not a tool,
not a game, not an interactive mirror. This training teaches that
horses are clairesentients and our partners.”
There’s that word again. Clairesentience is a vital element at
the heart of EGC®.
“Horses are not attracted to what we think about. They are
attracted to what we feel,” explained Melisa. “If you think something
about a horse, you’ll probably get hurt. If you feel something, you’ll
be healed.”
Horses are so sensitive that they can feel a fy before it lands
and shiver that area to send it away. Think about it: how many
times have we needed a strong shoulder – to lean on or to have
a good cry. Often horses, even the fightier types, will stand like
statues while we sob and soak up their strength, odor and energy.
You know the magic of that moment when a horse or pony curls
its head and neck around you in a full body embrace.
Melisa has witnessed some amazing interactions between
clients and students and her horses. The testimonials on her
website reveal the unique nature of Equine Gestalt Coaching®
and the stories that Melisa recounts are riveting and revelatory
about AHA moments.
“I had one woman walk into the indoor and stand in the center,
Romeo was at liberty,” recalled Melisa. “It was a demonstration of
thinking about mathematics and grounding her body. When she
moved into her body’s pure somatics, Romeo took an interest
Melisa Pearce with QT and Shadow
All photos by Kimberly Beer