Recommended Reading for My Work With Equestrians

Photo by Rick Hustead

I have been invited to do a presentation about my hypnotherapy work with equestrians at Symphony Dressage Stables in Moorpark, California. Of course, I continue to learn and practice new relaxation, hypnosis and guided-imagery techniques that I can apply in different hypnotherapy sessions. It is also important that I learn about and understand various training/riding philosophies and specific techniques or skills of various equestrian sports my clients my practice. Consequently, while I prepared the outline and handouts for my presentation I discovered and updated the list of books about horses and riding which I use as reference material for this work. Although many of these publications are not “recent,” they remain valuable resources when I work with riders to help them increase their confidence riding, training and competing with their equine partner.

Happy reading!

1. Albinson, Clare. In Harmony With Your Horse. 2003. Guilford, CT: The Lyons Press.
2. Benedik, Linda and Wirth, Veronica. Yoga for Equestrians: A New Path for Achieving Union With the Horse. 2000. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. 
3. Edgett Ph.D., Janet Sasson. 1996. Heads Up! Practical Sports Psychology for Riders, Their Families & Their Trainers. New York: Doubleday.
4. Grandin, Temple and Johnson, Catherine. Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior. New York: Scribner 
5. Hill, Cherry. How to Think Like a Horse: The Essential Handbook for Understanding Why Horses Do What They Do. 2006. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.
6. Hogg, Abigail. The Horse Behavior Handbook. 2003. Cincinnati, OH: F & W Publications. 
7. Marks, Kelly. Teach your Horse Perfect Manners: How You Should Behave So Your Horse Does Too. 2003. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing.
8. Kohanov, Linda. The Tao of Equus: A Woman’s Journey of Healing & Transformation Through the Way of the Horse. 2001. Novato, CA: New World Library. 
9. Kohanov, Linda. Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential Through the Way of the Horse. 2003. Novato, CA: New World Library
10. Kohanov, Linda. The Power of the Herd: A Nonpredatory Approach to Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Innovation. 2013. Novato, CA: New World Library 
11. Kohanov, Linda. The Five Roles of a Master Herder: A Revolutionary Model for Socially Intelligent Leadership. 2016. Novato, CA: New World Library.
12. Korda, Michael. Horse People: Scenes From the Riding Life. 2003. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc. 
13. Marks, Kelly (Ed.). Ride With Confidence! Practical and Inspirational Advice to Help You Deal With Your Fear and Enjoy Your Riding. 2004. Cincinnati, OH: David & Charles.
14. Marks, Kelly. Become Perfect Partners: How to Be the Owner Your Horse Would Choose for Himself. 2005. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. 
15. Marks, Kelly. Build Complete Confidence with Horses: Beat Fear and Excuses & Attain Your Riding Goals. 2007. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Books
16. Montague, Sarah and Dempsey, P.J. The Complete Idiot’s Guide. 2003. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books. 
17. Pavia, Audrey and Posnikoff DVM, Janice. Horses for Dummies. 2005. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc.
18. Podhajsky, Alois. The Complete Training of Horse and Rider: In the Principles of Classical Horsemanship. 1965. New York: Doubleday 
19. Roberts, Monty. The Man Who Listens to Horses: The Story of a Real Life Horse Whisperer. New York: Ballantine Books.
20. Roberts, Monty. Shy Boy, The Horse that Came in From the Wild. 1999. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 
21. Roberts, Monty. Horse Sense for People: Using the Gentle Wisdom of the Join-Up Technique to Enrich Our Relationships at Home and at Work. 2001. Toronto, Canada: Alfred A. Knopf, Canada.
22. Roberts, Monty. From My Hands to Yours: Lessons From a Lifetime of Training Championship Horses, Second Edition. 2007. Solvang, CA: Monty and Pat Roberts, Inc. 
23. Roy, Randy G. and Vaillancourt, Carolyn E. The Judge Is Back. 2001. Richmond Hill, Ontario: Porter Fine Printing Ltd.
24. Savoie, Jane. That Winning Feeling! Program Your Mind for Peak Performance. 1992. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. 
25. Smith, Mike. Getting the Most From Riding Lessons. 1998. Canada: Storey Books
26.  Swift, Sally. Centered Riding. 1985. New York, NY. A Trafalgar Square Farm Book
27. Wanless, Mary. The Natural Rider. 1996. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. 
28. Wanless, Mary. Ride With Your Mind Essentials. 2002. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Books.
29. Wilde, Clare. Hands-On Energy Therapy for Horses and Riders. 1999. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing.

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2016

Some Things to Know About Habits

Photo by Rick Hustead

Most people seek hypnotherapy to change or get rid of (quit) an unwanted habit. Whether you want to lose weight, quit smoking, stop procrastinating, improve sleeping habits or any myriad of behaviors, hypnosis and therapeutic guided imagery are powerful, effective tools to help you achieve your self-improvement goal. While I do not typically need to delve into your entire back-story to understand why you started, and want to change the unwanted habit, I will need certain, specific details about it to create an effective hypnotic script. Following is some important information about habits and habit-change to keep in mind.

·         You must be coming in for hypnotherapy because you want to change the behavior for this therapy to be effective.

·         While you (your conscious mind) want to change an unwanted habit, the subconscious mind is unlikely to share that goal. Changing habits entails getting out of your comfort zone (rejecting a subconscious known) which the subconscious mind considers “pain.”

·         Hypnotherapy can help create and establish healthier/more productive and desirable behaviors in the subconscious mind to replace the unwanted one(s). However, habits do not begin overnight and habits do not change overnight. Furthermore, the longer you have been practicing that behavior, the more time it may take to change it. Remember, each time you have engaged in the habit strengthened its positive association in your subconscious mind. 

·         Increasing awareness of when you engage in the undesired habit helps you gain greater control over that behavior.

·         Some behaviors may be a defense mechanism to avoid change and thereby protect the subconscious mind from the pain induced by change. In this instance, it may be necessary to address the cause of the behavior (habit) to help you achieve your vocational/avocational self-improvement goal.*

*California law allows access by California residents to complementary and alternative health care practitioners who are not providing services that require medical training and credentials. The purpose of a program of hypnotherapy is for vocational and avocational self-improvement (Business and Professions Code 2908) and as an alternative or complementary treatment to healing arts services licensed by the state. A hypnotherapist is not a licensed physician or psychologist, and hypnotherapy services are not licensed by the state of California. Services are non-diagnostic and do not include the practice of medicine, neither should they be considered a substitute for licensed medical or psychological services or procedures.

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2016

Thoughts of the Day

Photo by Sara Fogan

      Every now and then I like (and need) to take a few moments and remind myself about what is really important to me, in my life. If you follow me on my Calminsense Hypnotherapy Facebook page you may have seen some of these quotes before on this page, or will in the future. Many of these Quotes of the Day are beautiful examples and illustrations of the work I do as a hypnotherapist, so I will probably draw on them in future essays.

• “Life is an echo. What you send out comes back. What you sow you reap. What you give you get. What you see in others exists in you. Remember life is an echo. It always gets back to you so give goodness.” – Unknown

• "Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it." – George Halas

• “Keep looking up. That’s the secret of life.” – Snoopy

• “I am not what has happened to me. I am who I choose to become.” – C.G. Jung

• "I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." – Mark Twain

• "When you see a good person, think of becoming like him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points." – Confucius

• “It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life, to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything. There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now.  And you may as well do it now. Generally speaking, now is as good a time as any.” – Hugh Laurie

• "When the world whispers, 'Give up,' Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.'" – Unknown

• "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." – C.S. Lewis

• "Some changes look negative on the surface but you'll soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge." – Eckhart  Tolle

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2016