The Touched by a Horse Podcast
Welcome back to the podcast! Dane is out of town, so we’re getting one-on-one time with Melisa. Tune in to hear updates about Dane’s whereabouts, the extraordinary work of her students, and how the farm is adjusting in Bitsy’s absence. Enjoy some quality time with Melisa today on the Touched By a Horse podcast.
Resources Mentioned:
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Welcome back, Healing Herd! Today on the podcast Dane and Melisa are recording on Mother’s Day! Join them as they sit down to discuss all that’s been happening on the farm, including a core training program that begins hiding from a tornado! You don’t want to miss this one!
Resources Mentioned:
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Today’s episode is a bittersweet one. Melisa and Dane sit down to catch us up on their lives. While there have been wonderful moments amongst friends and new students, there has also been quite a loss. Join Melissa and Dane as they say goodbye to their miniature donkey, Bitsy, the heart of the herd, with the fondest of memories.
Resources Mentioned:
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Today Melisa welcomes Christina Stinchcomb to the podcast! Christina is a certified Equine Gestalt Coach and a certified Reach Out To Horses Trainer, as well as a certified Equestrian Tai Chi Level One Instructor. Christina’s commitment to holistic wellness and to exploring all we can learn in our quest to develop ourselves as the best equine partners that we can be brings a unique mission and purpose to Airy Hill Stables. Listen in to hear more about her work!
Resources Mentioned:
- Learn more about Airy Hill Stables
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Welcome back, Healing Herd! Today Melisa and Dane sit down together and give us an update on all the goings on while they continue their time in California. We hear about the amazing work happening at Hope Held by a Horse, exciting projects Melisa is exploring, and how new horse, Halo, is fairing on in the barn so far! Tune in for all the fun.
Resources Mentioned:
- Learn more about Hope Held By a Horse
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Welcome back to the podcast, Healing Herd! Today we play some catch up with Melisa and Dane as they continue their adventures in California. Melisa also discusses personal growth through horses and the delicate give and take of energy between us and these magnificent creatures. Listen in for more!
Resources Mentioned:
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
On today’s episode, we are joined by a member of the TBAH family, Risa August. Risa joins Melisa in California to discuss her 10-year journey working at Touched By a Horse, starting with her first interview. Listen in to hear about Melisa’s interesting hiring process, Risa’s rare health struggles, and how both women have supported each other through it all.
Resources Mentioned:
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Melisa and Dane sit down today to discuss one of Melisa’s favorite books, “The Go-Giver,” by Bob Burg. As required reading in Melisa’s master's program, “The Go-Giver” helps tackle the discomfort around selling one's services that many tend to face. Listen in to hear the fundamentals and what Melisa and Dane have been up to lately…Donuts are involved!
Resources Mentioned:
- Read The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Today Melisa sits down with dear friend and Coach Supervisor at TBAH, Peggy MacArthur. The two sit down together to discuss their years of friendship, the many ups and downs in life they’ve shared, and the formative years of the EGC program. Tune in to hear this beautiful tale of companionship that has weathered storms and triumphed through many a success.
Resources Mentioned:
- Learn about Peggy’s work at Birch Corner
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
In today’s episode, Melisa and Dane discuss horse wrecks. Anyone with years of experience riding horses has likely encountered their fair share of accidents and, unfortunately, was hurt. Listen to Melisa’s stories and the lessons learned through each incident.
Resources Mentioned:
- Support Hope Through Horses
- Learn more about the work of Touched By A Horse
- Find an Equine Gestaltist near you!
- Connect with us on Facebook
- Connect with us on Instagram
- Reach out with questions for Melisa at melisa@touchedbyahorse.com
- Call our offices at (303) 440-7125
Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™
Melisa developed the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™, where there are two Gestaltists present with the client—one human and one equine. Together they provide a therapeutic approach to deep-process emotional healing through the experiential nature of Gestalt work. Contrary to talk therapy, Gestalt work is experiential in nature and offers one of the most efficient means of working with past trauma and finding wholeness.
As of early 2019, there are close to two hundred certified Equine Gestalt Coaching Method™ practitioners worldwide from countries as far away as South Africa and Singapore. These graduates, along with their equine partners, help their clients find positive futures and personal happiness.

Melisa Pearce’s Latest Publications
click on a title to read the article online

Science Tells All
Horse and Rider
Colorado psychotherapist sees horses as healers, partners
The Country Today