HERD Human Equine Realised Development
Supporting Well-Being from the Ground Up
Kate's Story
Speaking my Truth
I have spent over 2 decades of my working life supporting others to develop in a variety of ways. My clients have ranged from business leaders to new parents. Qualifying in EFL has enabled me to take my role as a coach to the next level.
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Having spent much of my life worried about what others were thinking, EFL has given me the key to unlock my authentic self and speak my truth. I feel called to work with others who want to take their own journey to authenticity. My role as coach is to support individuals to discover their own power, enabling them to move towards their goals and dreams.
Understanding the power of metaphors, I identify with the archetype of Chiron, the Centaur and wounded healer. What does that mean? Put simply, the challenges and difficulties encountered on my own life’s journey have built the empathy and intuitive insight which make me an effective coach. It also gives a clue that I like to work on a deep level with those who are interested and willing to commit to their own development.
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About my Experience and Qualifications
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As a learning and development specialist with over 20 years of experience gained in a rich variety of settings and cultural environments, I am passionate about learning and have a gift for helping others develop.
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I began my professional life in generalist HR and am CIPD qualified with a degree in English from Lancaster University. I have a wealth of experience coaching, running Leadership Development Programmes and facilitating Action Learning. I am skilled designing and running Personal Development & Mindfulness Based Wellbeing programmes which deliver real shifts in 'being' for those attending.
I have a diploma in Performance Coaching, from Newcastle College and a certificate in Coaching for Confidence. I am also an NLP Practitioner, qualified with the acclaimed Sue Knight, and hold certificates in Mindfulness for Peak Performance and Wellbeing. I enjoy helping people identify their unique strengths and I am qualified to use a range of occupational psychology assessment tools and personality inventories including MBTI
The steep learning curve of becoming a parent prompted me to add to my coaching qualifications and undertake a diploma in Postnatal Group Facilitation from the University of Bedfordshire. I worked for 5 years with NCT, the UK’s leading parenting charity, gaining additional qualifications in Birth and Beyond perinatal education, Infant Nutrition and Postnatal exercise.
A keen equestrian since childhood, as a teenager I enjoyed competing in Endurance Riding, securing the title of National Junior Champion in 1989. I continued riding during my teens and early 20s but relocating to build a career in London resulted in a break from horses for over a decade.
Moving to Luxembourg in 2013 created the opportunity for more equestrian pursuits and in 2014 Dexter joined the family. The equine family has grown since then, enabling me to ‘learn on the job’ as I completed a Diploma in Equine Care and Management with Lingfield Equine Distance Learning. I also enjoyed working as a riding instructor with Baybees riding school for 9 months, until the commitments of multiple studies became too great.
In 2016 I began the journey to combine my childhood passion for horses with my love of learning and development. Linda Kohanov’s book The Tao of Equus, inspired me to research the area of Equine Facilitated Learning and in 2017 I enrolled on the LEAP EFL practitioner training programme with Kylie, gaining formal qualified status in April 2018.
I am currently developing my horsemanship and coaching capabilities by training with 2 modern day Masters in Equitation. First, I am a student of Marijke de Jong’s Straightness Training Academy. In June 2018, I begin training with the world renowned Mary Wanless to become a Ride with Your Mind coach.
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As I am sure it is clear, I am a learning and development junkie and ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to demonstrating a commitment to my own lifelong learning. My next project is to complete my Diploma in Counselling and gain formal accreditation as an Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy practitioner.
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