linda bruce

Certified Equine Gestalt Practitioner, BA, MA

my story

I was a highly sensitive, somewhat shy child. I often felt a little lost and overwhelmed. Animals always gave me a sense of balance. My childhood was filled with feeding orphaned animals from eye droppers and helping those no longer healthy enough to stay on this planet to peacefully pass to the other side. I believed I could feel the pain of an injured spider, or the sadness of a baby separated from its mother. These feelings were not limited to animals and bugs. The sight of a child sitting alone at a lunch table was enough to send me home sick from school.

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i vividly remember the first time i rambled down the weed-covered road.

The property presented itself at a time in my life when the demands of my twenty-five-year-long career as a mom were becoming less time-consuming. I marched passionately towards another of my life's callings. There is a creative love affair that this land and I have, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I have been given to blend my energies with the legacy this piece of the earth possesses. As I worked diligently to unveil the offerings of Soulful Prairies, she confidently pushed me towards the necessarily uncomfortable unknowns that brought me to a place of trusting my gifts.

I believe strongly in seeking truth to create a full life.

If we take note, rise to the occasion, and see our vulnerabilities for what they are, we create a deep richness that will cascade into the corners of our lives. A richness that brings peace, not only peace within, but also one that ripples out and changes everything.

If you are interested in working with me in making these changes, learn more about my Equine Gestalt practice here or book a session.

Education and certifications

Education: 
Bachelor's Degree in Social Work
Master's Degree in Counseling
Double Certified Master Equine Gestalt Practitioner ~ Four Year Program
Natural Lifemanship Training
Therapeutic Gong and Sound Techniques Training

Horse Experience: 
Over 30 years of riding experience
Natural Horsemanship Training and Clinics
Hooved Animal Humane Society Investigator

Work History: 
Jennings Teen Group Home Social Worker

Department of Children and Family Services
Caseworker ~ Licensing Representative ~ Investigator

Wheeling Police Department Social Worker Intern

Omni Youth Services in-home counselor

Served on the Board of Directors:
Hope Through Horses, 2017-Present 
World Citizen, 2020-2022

Models that influence my practice

Equine gestalt

The experiential nature of the method, developed by Melisa Pearce, involves the horse as an active partner with the practitioner in the client's exploratory process. The integrative approach to the equine's interaction combined somatic awareness guidance and Gestalt methodology, assists the client in examining their life and choices made with the focus on designing a positive future.

Natural Lifemanship

Natural Lifemanship teaches the science and art of connection. This model is based on the belief that an attuned, connected relationship with self and with others is the key to healthy development, mental health, and well-being. It is also the vehicle of change when it comes to healing the psychological and relational wounds of trauma.

Imago Relationship

Developed by Dr. Harville Hendrix and Dr. Helen LaKelly Hunt in 1980, Imago Relationship Therapy is a form of relationship and couple's therapy that focuses on relational counseling to transform any conflict between couples into opportunities for healing and growth. Through Imago Relationship Therapy, couples can learn to understand each other’s feelings and “childhood wounds” more empathically, allowing them to heal themselves and their relationships.

Testimonials

Linda has created a piece of heaven on earth as she has developed and grown Soulful Prairies. I discovered Soulful Prairies when scrolling online and came to the Feed Your Soul Group. My life has been blessed in so many ways since this first encounter. The thoughtful details of chairs hanging from trees, a fire pit, a cabin, a fairy forest and walking paths for contemplation, allows space and safety to regroup and find your way.
Pat S

Linda is a beautiful practitioner. She is attentive and stays present moment to moment. Linda communicates a safety and also an ability to stay with her client in the midst of uncertainty, helping to bring understanding and awareness.
Mary

With fluidity and grace, Linda provides a safe and secure place that clients almost react with surprise that their "limiting beliefs" which had been preventing them from reaching their full potential, had been so graciously resolved.
Heather W.

The best cure for anxiety I have found so far…hug a donkey! Not just a quick hug like one for a great-aunt you see once a year, a deep hug like your saying hello to a dear friend you haven’t seen in years. Lay your head into them and listen to their breath. Spend a couple of minutes here just being. Make yourself one with your four-legged friend! This works with horses also, I just happened to choose Cooper as my therapy animal today.
- Lynne

Linda has the ability to be soft and compassionate. She has an awareness of when a client needs to be moved and when to be still and quiet. This all creates a incredible sense of safety.
Amy

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