Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela LeBlanc.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Whole health has been an area of study for me for many years. Growing up in Germany, where the old ways of using natural remedies more often than not gave me a good start to looking for the most gentle way of helping the body. Since I love learning and exploring, I always wanted to know how to utilize the body’s innate ability for healing and re-balancing. Applying those principles to my own and my family’s health, including our animals, was natural, no pun intended.
When I started my journey with my own horse, I chose to take the same path toward his well-being. I had also contemplated for a while how my interests and passions could feed into finding a career that not only allowed me to earn an income but also feed my soul and my curiosity of continuous exploration of those topics. I finally settled on pursuing bodywork for horses with an emphasis on the mind/body/heart-soul connection.
The program I became certified through had a strong emphasis on working with the horse, using the horse’s body language as a guide and allowing the horse to participate. Further education in several different areas such as the sacred geometry of the body, energy work and the underlying principles of quantum physics and quantum mechanics, myofascial release and cranio-sacral work, the nervous system and the Five Element Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine has shown me time and again how truly interconnected life is. Nothing is ever separate.
Understanding how emotions and stress can be expressed in the body has been of particular interest to me. Horses are such amazing and sensitive creatures. They are very similar to us in their need to be seen and heard, not just as a species, but also as the unique individual they are. Helping horses integrate their physical, mental and emotional aspects is now the focus of my work.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have never truly looked for a smooth road in this. I strongly rely on my intuition, which typically sends me down the less-traveled path or into areas where few people go. But that’s part of the excitement, part of my own self-exploration. Never wanting to stop asking what else is possible if we could only open our hearts and minds a bit further.
I think the biggest struggle is the translation of some of it into real life. Translating some of these concepts so my clients can see the connection to their very own situation with their equine partner. Shifting the traditional concepts and understanding of horses being less. Showing people that their horse’s feedback and working WITH them can truly create a deeper connection and better performance. Finding the words to express some of those concepts can be challenging. Language can be limiting. Even as I write this, I can FEEL what I want to say but the words seen to elude at times.
There is such richness in exploring our sense of touch. Whenever I touch a horse, there is a full conversation going on. Even before I touch the horse. My being connects with the horse on a very subtle and intimate level. Especially if I work with this horse on a regular basis. You create coherence between two entirely different beings. The Heart-Math Institute has done a great job in exploring this topic – creating heart coherence. And to express this in words is – for me – the biggest challenge so far.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Healing Hands Equine Bodywork – what should we know?
I founded Healing Hands because I wanted to help horses, first and foremost. I took my experiences and frustration in finding help for my horse and wanted to help others. And that it still the basic foundation of my work. However, it has since morphed into a much bigger mission. The mind/body connection has been explored in human health for quite some time. And there are, of course, some incredible equine practitioners out there who are applying those principles in their work. But it’s not really talked about much. And that’s really become a mission of mine. To not only look at body parts and how they interact and connect. But also the more subtle and invisible connections, especially when we consider emotions – Energy in Motion. And how our physical body expresses itself. How the energy body is visible if we can just look, and most importantly FEEL, our way into another being and gain a deeper understanding.
To see some of these horses transform has been incredible. To help people see their equine partners from a different perspective. With greater understanding. More compassion. To point the way to greater harmony. Not just within the individual horse, but also between horse and rider.
I am most proud of taking a leap of faith almost every day. Taking a chance by asking people to view a situation through a different lens. Or consider a different approach. I love seeing more and more people seeking the deeper understanding and being open to those discussions of how the physical body is an expression. That really everything is energy. I have had the privilege of studying with some incredible mentors and teachers, including each and every horse I have ever touched, I not only focus on the physical health of the horse, but the integration of his or her whole being.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My success really depends on three things:
1. My own willingness to question everything I think I know and have learned. I have always considered myself a student. But I am human after all!
2. My ability to get myself out of the way and connect with the individual horse wherever that may be. Some of them need a very subtle approach, others require a more physical touch. Some are not accepting touch at all but are so open to energy work. Each and every one of them are clear about their needs. Every session is about that, it’s never about what I want to accomplish. It’s about creating connection and following the horse’s feedback. It can be very humbling when a horse says “No” to you.
3. Being able to communicate to the owner of what I am finding and my interpretation so they can also play their part in helping their equine partner. Honing my writing skills has been a journey in itself.
Contact Info:
- Address: Maple Park IL 60151
- Website: www.healinghandsequinebodywork.com
- Phone: 6309130218
- Email: daniela14@healinghandsequinebodywork.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/healinghandsequinebodywork
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