There are many factors that lead to stress in our lives, many of which I’m sure you know…the obvious stressors of loss, illness, toxins in their many forms and more. During my wellness coaching in Reno, I make an effort to identify the various stressors for each person and help them to understand their stress.
Human Stress Research
I just listened to an interview with Dr. Mary Wingo. Mary Wingo was born in the United States where she earned a PhD in human stress research from the University of North Texas. In 2014, she emigrated to Ecuador, a tiny country in South America. Living in a new and different society opened her eyes to the unsustainable social, economic, and political costs preventable stress causes in the modern world. Dr. Wingo’s aim is to clearly explain to the public the biological mechanisms behind the stress response, as well as its staggering cost to society.
Dr. Wingo says,
“the number one cause of stress in our modern society is the fatiguing of our frontal lobe which is our primary stress response organ, our working memory mechanism – executive functioning.”
One thing we do in our modern society that is destructive, is we are always over-planning and over-taxing our cognitive resources through multi-tasking. Our attention is being disrupted and broken and we wear it as a “badge of honor” – being incessantly busy, and it is the long-term actions of this behavior that depletes our ability to adapt. Humans are meant to adapt. But, when we have constant stressors to the body, especially to our brain, we push our ability to adapt over the limit.
Human Adaptation to Stress
A certain amount of adaptation is good – we grow and become stronger. Yet when we abuse and excessively employ these tissues, they become excessively adapted and lose their structural integrity. First, we get tissue dysfunction. Then tissue damage, which then leads to tissue death. All diseases enter this when we fall out of homeostasis and are unable to resolve the stressor – when we become out of balance over time! When we lose our rational thinking and our emotional regularity, we ultimately lose our ability to adapt as human beings.
Dr. Wingo stated, “this is not true in places like Ecuador, Columbia and many other developing countries…they don’t have the level of stress that we do.”
I find this quite sad when it comes to our society, and the many diseased states we are experiencing, both as adults and in our children. Seeking to improve this is a goal of my wellness coaching Reno.
Wellness Coaching Reno: Reducing Stress
Research shows Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, calms the frontal lobe of our brain and we move back into a more creative and calm place, and are more perceptive and present. When we connect to nature or animals, this also eases the incessant chatter of the mind. This leads to tuning in and tuning out for a period, allowing our nervous system to calm. This then feeds our cells, which increases our level of health and vitality. Mindfulness practices are just a few of the methods I may suggest to help you cope with stress during my wellness coaching Reno.
One such solution I have personally experienced is the authentic and congruent nature of the horse.
Equinemity: Creating Balance through Authenticity
Here is some information from a local organization called Equinemity, creating balance and success through authenticity. They hold classes with horses that help to calm our hearts and mind, moving us into a more congruent state.
I have decided to team up with Equinemity and hold a class combining what I do with their work with humans and the horse. For me, I feel it is important to step out of our habitual box of identity and move towards something different as a way of calming the stress in our life. I will be announcing this class soon, so keep an eye out. If you relate to any of the information I have shared, join us for a day long experience. You will most likely benefit from some quality time with amazing horses, learning to open to your true authentic nature.
Why We Partner with Horses
There are many reasons why we work with horses in our programs. We have found that the best teachers have four legs. They don’t speak English but nonetheless, communicate many messages if we are listening. Horses are social animals, making them very similar to humans. However, they think independently and have defined roles within the herd. They have distinct personalities, attitudes and moods. Through their behavior, they can help people work with boundaries, fears and develop trust.
Our equine partners can and do act as mirrors of our emotions, reflecting the behaviors, attitudes and ideas of each of us. They don’t lie and they can’t over-think your real emotions, so they recognize the incongruence between behavior and emotion, telling the true story.
Open to something different as a way of de-stressing in life? Attend my upcoming course with Equinemity and discover what wellness coaching Reno can teach you.