What is Gestalt?
Gestalt is a body-based, present-moment approach to healing and personal growth. It’s not about fixing you—it’s about helping you remember who you truly are underneath the fear, the doubt, and the old stories.
In Equine Gestalt Coaching, we focus on what’s coming up right now—in your body, your energy, your emotions. Together, we gently uncover the places where you feel stuck or disconnected, and we bring compassion and clarity to those parts of you.
And here’s where it gets powerful: we don’t do it alone.
The horse is your co-coach. Horses are masters of presence and emotional truth. They respond to what’s really happening beneath the surface and help bring it into the open—without judgment, without agenda.
Gestalt isn’t talk therapy. It’s experiential.
It’s not about endlessly analyzing the past—it’s about shifting the patterns that still live in you, so you can move forward lighter, clearer, and more confident.
“I thought I needed to be fixed. What I really needed was to come home to myself.” — Sara C. (Lafayette, LA)
How it works...
Where to start?
You don’t have to know exactly what you need—just that something needs to shift. Here’s what to expect when you step into coaching at Joy Ridge:
1. We Start with a Conversation
Every journey begins with a complimentary 20-minute call. We’ll talk about what’s going on for you, what you’re hoping for, and which type of session or group might be the best fit.
2. You Choose Your Path
You can book:
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Private, in-person coaching sessions with horse-guided Gestalt work
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Phone coaching for ongoing support
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Small group sessions for riders or barn owners
Not sure where to begin? That’s okay—we’ll figure it out together.
3. You Show Up Just As You Are
You don’t need to prepare anything or say the “right” thing. Just bring yourself, your honest heart, and a willingness to explore. If you’re doing in-person work, the horses will meet you exactly where you are—with zero judgment and deep, intuitive presence.
4. The Work Unfolds Organically
There’s no script or rigid process. I use the principles of Gestalt to follow your energy and body wisdom, gently guiding you toward clarity, release, and reconnection with your truest self. Some sessions are emotional. Some are quiet. All are uniquely yours.
5. You Leave Lighter—and More Grounded
Most clients walk away from sessions feeling like something shifted inside. A weight lifted. A truth spoken. A new sense of peace or possibility. And it’s not just a moment—it’s momentum.
WHAT IS EGCM?
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® was developed by Melisa Pearce, a core founder since 1989, of the horse-human healing movement. The experiential nature of the method involves the horse as an active partner with the coach in the client’s exploratory process. The integrative approach of the equine’s interaction combined with positive coaching, somatic awareness guidance and Gestalt methodology, assists the client in examining their life and choices made with a focus on designing a positive future. ©Melisa Pearce
