Transform Narratives, Transform Lives - Become a Certified Equine & Nature Coach

• Leadership development

• Team coaching and organizational change

• Career transitions and personal development

• Wellness and resilience building

• Educational and youth development settings

No prior experience with horses is required—only openness to experiential learning and a willingness to engage fully in the process.

Coaching unfolds most powerfully when the setting and the method are tailored to the person and the topic at hand, not the other way around. Equine and nature coaching each offer distinct opportunities for insight:

• With horses, clients gain direct, authentic insight into their communication style, confidence, and relational dynamics through the horse's natural responses.
• In nature, clients access spaciousness, calm, and new perspectives that support reflection, clarity, and integration.

In our work, we see time and again that the "right" environment is the one that best serves the client's current question, challenge, and state of being. Sometimes the breakthrough happens in the arena with a horse, sometimes on a quiet walk through the woods, and sometimes in a classical practice setting. We do not believe in forcing clients into one fixed scenario just because it is our preferred format. That would mean aligning the client to the process, instead of aligning the process with the client.

Why a Multidisciplinary Approach

The same principle guides our choice of methods. Our training rests on solution-focused, systemic, and narrative coaching because different clients – and different moments – call for different lenses:

• Solution-focused coaching helps identify resources and concrete next steps when a client wants movement, practicality, and hope.
• Systemic coaching makes visible the wider context (groups, organisations, families, cultures) when patterns are complex and interconnected.
• Narrative coaching offers depth when clients need to explore and reshape the stories they live by.

When we are not training coaches, we are coaches ourselves. In practice, we constantly notice how crucial it is to have more than one approach available. For some clients, a brief, solution-focused session in nature is ideal; for others, carefully held systemic work with a horse mirrors their role in a group; yet others benefit most from narrative exploration in a quiet space.

Our certification reflects this reality: it equips coaches to choose both setting and method consciously, in partnership with the client. The goal is always the same – not to fit people into a predefined process, but to design the most appropriate, respectful, and effective coaching experience for each individual.

1. Narrative Coaching

• Working with the stories clients tell about themselves and their situations
• Identifying limiting narratives and co-creating new possibilities
• Using metaphor and storytelling as tools for transformation

2. Systemic, Solution-Focused Methods

• Seeing individuals within their broader systems and contexts
• Focusing on solutions rather than problems
• Identifying resources and exceptions to create forward movement

3. Experiential Learning with Horses and Nature

• Using horses as sensitive mirrors for human behavior and presence
• Leveraging natural environments to access different ways of knowing
• Creating embodied learning experiences that engage all senses

This integration creates a unique and powerful approach to coaching that addresses both the cognitive and somatic dimensions of human experience.

• Balance of Theory and Practice: You learn to design interventions that are both experientially powerful and theoretically sound, maintaining the highest standards of safety and ethics.

• Integrated Approach: The program connects experiential narrative work with horses and nature to real-world applications—ideal if you work with leaders, teams, or change processes.

• International, English-speaking Context: Training delivered in English, with participants from diverse backgrounds, making it especially suited for coaches working in cross-cultural and international settings.

• Ongoing Professional Community: Graduates join a vibrant community of practice with continuing education opportunities, supervision, and annual retreats at Kaliazo.

• European Certification: Receive a qualification that demonstrates your competence in this specialized field and distinguishes you in the coaching marketplace.

• Exclusive Resources: Participants and graduates gain exclusive access to a rich library of resources, books, tools, coaching cards, and experiential exercises developed specifically for this certification. These materials are not available for sale and are reserved solely for those enrolled in the program.

Tanya Akin is a seasoned change and transformation professional with a profound ability to unlock human and organizational potential. With several decades of international experience spanning multiple industries, she brings a unique blend of systemic coaching, agile methodologies, and deep human understanding to her work.

As an experienced interim executive and change agent, Tanya specializes in guiding teams and organizations through complex transformation processes. Her approach is rooted in a deep belief that genuine connection, trust, and authentic dialogue are the foundations of meaningful change. Certified in multiple coaching methodologies—including systemic and disciplinary coaching, conflict management, and equine-assisted coaching—she offers a holistic approach that addresses both individual and collective narratives.

Tanya's expertise spans a wide range of domains:
- Narrative and systemic coaching
- Equine-assisted learning
- Agile transformation
- Leadership development
- Intercultural communication
- Conflict resolution and mediation

With certifications from prestigious institutions and experience working across Europe and North America, Tanya has developed a nuanced understanding of organizational dynamics. Her work is characterized by a rare combination of strategic thinking and deep empathy, enabling her to design transformative interventions that create lasting impact.

Drawing from her background in philosophy and social behavioral sciences, Tanya views coaching as an art of storytelling—helping individuals and teams rewrite their narratives, overcome limitations, and discover their full potential. Her multilingual capabilities (native English, fluent German, advanced Dutch) further enhance her ability to work effectively in diverse, international contexts.

At the heart of Tanya's practice is a commitment to creating spaces of genuine connection—where teams can open up, understand each other, and collectively unlock their potential. Her approach goes beyond traditional coaching, integrating horses, nature, and systemic techniques to facilitate profound personal and organizational transformation.

In the realm of personal and professional development, equine-assisted and nature coaching emerge as a profoundly distinctive approaches that transcend traditional learning methodologies. Unlike conventional coaching techniques that often rely on verbal instruction and cognitive processing, this approach creates a visceral, embodied experience that etches itself into the participant’s psychological landscape.

The magic of equine-assisted coaching lies in its ability to create learning experiences that are simultaneously immediate and lasting. Horses, with their extraordinary sensitivity to human emotional and physical states, serve as living mirrors that reflect our most authentic selves. When individuals interact with these magnificent creatures, they engage in a form of communication that bypasses intellectual defenses and speaks directly to the core of human experience.

Research has consistently demonstrated that the insights gained through equine-assisted interventions are not merely intellectual abstractions, but deeply felt, viscerally understood transformations. Participants report that the lessons learned during these sessions continue to resonate months, and often years, after the initial experience. This remarkable retention stems from the holistic nature of the learning – it is not simply information transferred, but a complete somatic and emotional journey of self-discovery.

The intervention’s power lies in its ability to create what researchers call “embodied memories” – learning experiences so profound that they become integrated into an individual’s fundamental understanding of themselves and their interactions with others. Unlike traditional coaching methods that might fade with time, the lessons learned through horse interactions create lasting neural pathways, fundamentally rewiring patterns of behavior and perception.

Participants consistently describe these experiences as transformative turning points, moments of clarity that fundamentally shift their approach to leadership, communication, and personal growth. The horses provide an unfiltered, non-judgmental feedback system that allows individuals to see themselves with unprecedented clarity, creating learning experiences that are both deeply personal and universally applicable.

This unique approach to coaching and personal development represents more than just a method – it is a profound journey of self-discovery, where the wisdom of horses becomes a catalyst for human transformation.

Nestled just 45 minutes away from the lively city of Toulouse, with its international airport, Kaliazo Retreats offers the ideal balance of convenience and escape. Whether you're traveling from near or far, our proximity ensures seamless access, allowing you to immerse yourself in the city's rich cultural and culinary tapestry before or after your retreat. Experience the best of both worlds as you embark on a transformative journey with us.