What horses can teach us about ourselves
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If you work with people experiencing systemic barriers, you already know:
Safety is not a policy.
Inclusion is not a checklist.
Belonging cannot be forced.
It must be cultivated.
This immersive experience offers a grounded, heart-centered, and practical approach to building emotional safety in the spaces you lead: classrooms, counselling and coaching sessions, community circles, and organizations.
Professional Development That Strengthens How You Show Up
This is a call to courageous leadership
Rooted in Indigenous Knowledge and supported by neuroscience, the Cultivating Safe Spaces (CSS) Framework, developed by Elaine Alec of Naqsmist Storytellers Inc., provides a transformative model for:
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Emotional safety
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Cultural humility
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Relational leadership
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Resilience and belonging
You won't just discuss safe spaces.
You will experience what if feels like to become a source of safety for others.
A Unique Equine-Facilitated Experience
Adonica Sweet, Master Certified Coach, and Leann Manuel, CHA Master Instructor - both Certified Cultivating Safe Spaces Facilitators - are teaming up to offer this unique equine-assisted experience that moves participants from theory to embodied relational learning.
Horses are powerful teachers of presence and congruence. They respond to nervous system regulation, authenticity, and intention - not titles or authority.
Horses offer immediate, non-verbal feedback about regulation and relational presence - feedback that is difficult to ignore and impossible to fake.
Through guided ground-based interaction, you will gain insight into:
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How you show up under pressure
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How safety (or lack thereof) is communicated nonverbally
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The role of patience, discipline, and attunement
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The subtle dynamics of trust and leadership
You will feel, in real time, what happens when your presence feels safe - or when it doesn't.
This is the inaugural equine-assisted Cultivating Safe Spaces collaboration between Adonica Sweet and Leann Manuel. We are opening 50 spaces for this first offering and will evaluate future dates based on impact and demand.
What You Will Learn & Practice
You'll leave with the CSS Framework language, tools, and embodied awareness you can apply immediately.
The Four Conditions
Understanding Self
Love-Based Practice
Patience
Discipline
The Four Protocols
Well-being
Inclusion
Freedom
Validation
The Four Perspectives
Tradition
Relationship
Innovation
Action
The framework aligns with International Coaching Federation (ICF) core competencies and expands your capacity to lead in ways that are trauma-informed, culturally aware, and ethically grounded.
Why This Matters
In complex community settings, safety is not assumed - it is experienced.
When it breaks down, the impact is personal.
Unexamined bias. Unregulated nervous systems. Unclear leadership. Unspoken harm.
These don't just disrupt programs - they impact live. When safety is not experienced, the consequences are carried by real people, not programs.
You're already doing this work. This experience gives you sharper tools to do it with more confidence.
Most professionals are never explicitly taught how safety is experienced in their presence.
Recognize the signals
Identify when safety is breaking down in real time - before it escalates
Navigate difficult conversations
Facilitate with steadiness and language that keeps the door open.
Stay grounded under pressure
Regulate your own nervous system so you can hold space even in the hardest moments
Set boundaries that protect connection
Create clarity without escalating conflict or losing relational trust.
Lead with cultural humility and integrity
Build the kind of trust that deepens belonging - in every room you enter
Who This Is For
Educators
Youth & Community Workers
Counsellors
Social Workers
Nonprofit & Frontline Professionals
Coaches
This experience is best suited for reflective practitioners who are willing to examine how their presence impacts others.
If you want a surface level PD, this may not be for you. If you are ready to examine how safety is experienced in your presence - you belong here.
Meet Your Facilitators
Your Investment
$280
+GST
Full-day immersive training with experts in their field
Equine-assisted experiential practice
Lunch and refreshments
This offering is intentionally priced for accessibility for community professionals paying out of pocket.
Comparable trainings of this depth often range from $400-$900
Payment plans available upon request
Participation is intentionally limited to preserve the depth and integrity of the experience. If this speaks to you, consider being part of the first cohort to experience this collaboration.
Location
5621 Sawmill Rd.
Oliver B.C.
Call or text
250-490-5590
Accomodations
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need horse experience? No. This is entirely ground-based. No riding required. All activities are facilitated and supported.
Is this trauma-informed and culturally grounded? Yes. The CSS Framework is rooted in Indigenous Knowledge and supported by neuroscience. The facilitation prioritizes relational safety and refelction.
What if the weather is poor? We plan with weather in mind and adapt as needed. We have a covered space that keeps us dry and shaded so the learning experience will proceed rain or shine.
Is this suitable for early-career professionals? Yes - and for seasoned leaders. The work meets you where you are.
What should I wear? Dress for outdoor conditions with closed-toe footwear suitable for sandy footing. layers are recommended.
Can this count as professional development hours? Yes. the framework aligns with ICF core competencies and supports continuing education for many helping professions.
What is the cancellation policy? Cancellations up to 14 days prior receive a refund minus a small administrative fee. After that date tickets may be transferred to another participant.
Are group registrations available? Yes. If three or more colleagues wish to attend together, please reach out to discuss options.
What if I'm unsure whether this is right for me? If you feel both nervous and called, that's often the edge of growth. Reach out - we're happy to connect before you decide. Text or call: Adonica: 250-490-5590 Leann: 250-689-1648
Is this emotionally intense? This work invites refection and relational awareness. It is facilitated with care, pacing, and support. You are always encouraged to participate in ways that feel safe and grounded.
I can't attend on April 11 - Will there be another opportunity? Adonica and Leann plan to offer this again if there is enough interest. Send us your name and preferred contact method and we'll reach out when a new date is confirmed.
Join Us on April 11th
Saturday, April 11th, 2026 - 10am-4pm - 5621 Sawmill Rd., Oliver, BC.
If this aligns with the work you are doing in the world, we would be honoured to have you join us.
Spaces are limited to 50 - reserve yours before they're gone.
Questions? Call or text Adonica at 250-490-5590 or Leann at 250-689-1648
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