Power in Presence
Harmony with Horses
Invitation
Inner Freedom shares with humans the medicine of being with horses. In presence with the herd we are supported in returning home to our true self, our heart, and the deep inner wisdom available to us when we embody harmony.
The horses guide us in reclaiming our innate wholeness. They hold no judgment for us; this spaciousness supports a dissolving of the falsehoods that burden us and creates an opening for our truth to shine, inside out. By returning to the simplicity of being, we align with our nature: wild, free, always here/now, autonomous, open, curious, and never separate. Horses meet us here – beyond right/wrong, good/bad, should/shouldn’t, and the complexity of our mental stories. Nothing to fix, analyze, or figure out.
All sessions are on the ground with horses as equal partners and relational sentient beings. No prior horse experience is necessary, there are no mounted activities, horses are free roaming, touch is optional, and all sessions are confidential.
About Us
About Us
We share horse medicine grounded in presence, heart centeredness, embodiment, and connection. The horses guide us and support us through each experience, showing us what it feels like to be them: self-honoring, embodied, sovereign and individual yet inseparable from the herd.
We play with a variety of tools inspired by ancient wisdom teachings that support inner harmony in everyday life. This is an inside-out approach and what we share is continuously in creation through living experience. Each session and experience are unique depending on the energy of the herd, the people here, the collective, the land and the elements. We offer several session formats and we host events. While most of our sessions and events are during the warmer months, we are available year-round.
We are located in Buchanan, Michigan.
The Human
I am a woman on an adventure discovering, who am I? I’ve found horses to be mystical guides in my own journey and I love partnering with the herd here at Inner Freedom to create opportunities for others to reconnect with their authentic self.
I facilitate from my inner knowing which is beyond any certification, education, or training. A lifelong horse lover, I am continuously peeling back the layers of traditional horsemanship so that I can be with myself, the horses, and all of life with love and gentleness.
I’m a certified Advanced Facilitator from the Horse Medicine Leadership Academy and a certified TRH Practitioner from The Reflective Horse® in Equine Guided Empowerment® and Somatic Reprogramming®. I am a certified Reiki I and II practitioner. I have studied Zhineng Qigong, yoga, and various meditation practices. I have a BA in Italian from University of Colorado and a MS in Health Promotion from Indiana University.
If you’re curious about my story, which is, after all, only a story, please see the musing Elizabeth’s Story.
The Guides
Horses inspire awe within us and symbolize beauty, freedom, power, and majesty. They live in their bodies, connected in the ocean of energy holding each of us, in the present moment. Having journeyed with humans thousands of years, across new frontiers, into war, powering agriculture and transportation, horses and humans have a unique connection.
Sharing space with such large animals calls us to be aware. From here we can begin to open to our authentic self, the quiet unwavering presence within us that knows no bounds, and the horses are naturally attracted to this purity of heart. There has been research in recent years from The Heart Math Institute about the relationship between horses, humans, and our big, beautiful hearts. We invite you to come experience the power of your own heart here with the herd.
We have three mustangs and one burro. They are utterly themselves, and with each passing day reveal the expansiveness of their nature. While I could share a story of who each one is, perhaps it’s more fun for them to show you.
The Place
Inner Freedom is based in Buchanan, Michigan. We are 1.5 hours from Chicago, IL; 1 hour from Kalamazoo, MI; 30 minutes from South Bend, IN; and 30 minutes from St. Joseph, MI.
Sessions
We offer several ways of being with the horses, and generally sessions are in the warmer months (May–October). If you want to come in the horses’ furry season please reach out, we are here.
1:1 Experiences
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Herd Heart Healing
Herd Heart Healings are a collaboration between the Inner Freedom herd, Elizabeth Carden, and Stacy Nelson. Guests are met at the gate and greeted by the herd, Stacy and Elizabeth. We then move into the covered area of the horses’ pasture to sit with the horses and set the healing intention together. Guests are invited to lay down (remaining seated is also an option) and Stacy and Elizabeth conduct a reiki-inspired healing session led by the wisdom and guidance of the horses. In total this healing experience is 60 – 75 minutes.
1 person
$150
Local and returning guests enjoy special rates—reach out to learn more.
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Herd Experience
Our signature session, this is a ~2 hour experience tailored for one person’s unique journey. This offering is an opportunity to open to the support of the horses and attune to their energy and wisdom. The session begins in the upstairs of the barn overlooking the pasture with a check-in to land and settle into the space. We will orient with an intention to serve you in your experience with the herd based on your goals and needs.
After observing the herd and how horses communicate we will enter the pasture to be with the herd, relax into their environment, and witness how they show up. Depending on how the experience presents there will be various opportunities to support integration. We conclude the session back in the barn.
1 person
$350
Local and returning guests enjoy special rates—reach out to learn more.
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Equine Guided Empowerment®
Equine Guided Empowerment® is a somatic, nature-centered approach to healing founded by The Reflective Horse® that offers individuals the experience of partnering with free-roaming horses to inspire powerful breakthroughs and lasting embodiment of the authentic self.
Through Somatic Reprogramming® practices, participants are guided to align themselves in their body in reclamation of self-acceptance, authenticity and expression in the present. Participants experience the ability to regain their voice, advocacy and sense of true-nature, so they may recommit to their values and unique purpose in the world.
1 person
$350
Local and returning guests enjoy special rates—reach out to learn more.
Group Experiences
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Group Herd Experience
This is a ~2 hour session for a group of 2 – 8 people. We begin in the upstairs of the barn overlooking the pasture with a check-in to land and settle into the space. We will each orient with a personal intention to serve in the experience with the herd based on our own goals and needs.
After observing the herd and how horses communicate we will enter the pasture to be with the herd, relax into their environment, and witness how they show up. Depending on how the experience presents there will be various opportunities to support integration. We conclude the session back in the barn.
2-8 people
$400+
Local and returning guests enjoy special rates—reach out to learn more.
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Herd Visit
This is a 60-75 minute session for a group that can include children ages 5+ with adult(s). We begin in the upstairs of the barn overlooking the pasture with a check-in. Depending on where the group’s curiosity is, we’ll learn about the herd and how horses communicate and live in the wild, we’ll connect with our awareness and our senses, and observe the horses in their pasture.
Then we have the option of a portion or the entire group entering the pasture to explore the power of our presence while we share space with the herd.
2-5 people
$250
Local and returning guests enjoy special rates—reach out to learn more.
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Circling Center: Horses & Tarot Experience
Circling Center is an ongoing collaboration between High Low Tarot and Inner Freedom. Originally conceived as a retreat series, we are now offering this combination of Tarot and horse medicine as a custom experience for small groups. Woven together, these modalities support each other in mysterious ways, providing opportunities for connection, insights, reflection, and integration.
Available to book for up to eight people, included in each custom experience is an introduction and integration session with the horses for the entire group. Following the introduction, each person has the opportunity to participate in an individual Tarot reading. If you are booking this experience for one or two people, you have the option of participating in a “Stars and Cards” reading, which is a longer session weaving together your natal chart, planetary transits, and the Tarot cards to explore you in this moment in general or a topic of your choice. If you have any questions about this please reach out to us.
1-8 people
$300+
Local and returning guests enjoy special rates—reach out to learn more.
What to expect
Inner Freedom is a place to reconnect with the power of your loving awareness. We are excited to share a space to honor the horses as sovereign beings, and we invite you into this before we enter the pasture. We respect their personal space as we do our own; there is no requirement of touch. When we feel invited we may touch the horses, although only if we want to. Likewise, if we don’t want to share our personal space with the horses, then we honor that.
Come as you are, there’s no need to do anything before your session. Bring a journal if you want, although it’s not necessary. We will begin in a covered space observing the horses before moving into the field. Please dress for being outside: layers, sturdy closed toe shoes for being around the horses (boots are optimal), a hat for sun protection, a rain jacket if it’s in the forecast, bug spray or sunscreen. If you’re looking for recommendations for accommodations in the area, please ask, we are happy to share.
Musings
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Leaves falling, geese calling, and another harvest as we all feel the change sweeping across our lives, both literally in this season and all the myriad ways change is happening for us collectively and individually, breaking our hearts open, again and again. There is something about fall that really draws me to the humble wisdom…
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I sat on the ledge near his muzzle as he napped. He extended his front hoof to me. Again, Again. Come with me. Again. Yes, in my heart. I relaxed into the dimension he visits often, beyond separation. No intellect. Only knowing. I observed the stories receding, my name dissolving. My body released a hundred layers…
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August 2025 Hello in this sweet time of summer! It is such a special season to me and probably you, as we savor the warmth and abundance knowing that soon it will change. One of my favorite experiences this time of year is the vibration of the insects and small animals – the cicadas, crickets,…
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June 2025 Summer is upon us. I have been reflecting on how the herd’s new pasture which we have been working toward opening for six months mirrors my own journey in sharing horse medicine with people. In December we removed old grape vines and their accompanying infrastructure to build a new pasture for the herd….
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I heard recently that humans are more attuned to the scent of spring than sharks are to the scent of blood. In other words, our bodies are hardwired to detect the earth’s early signals of a season’s shift. I’ve noticed my own attunement to spring this year and it’s true, the slightest hint of the…
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Horses support us in remembering our true self. The self that is beyond any one identity, thought, definition, or judgment. Our true self, or you might say our soul, higher self, or authentic self. The self that is always here, witnessing, present. I thought I knew this, since after all, it’s what I love sharing…
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Our dog Ruby Jean died on January 28, 2025. She was my best friend; I will never stop missing her. She was also the first animal for whom I’ve had the responsibility to make an end of life decision, something I will likely have again in the future, since I remain committed to loving animals…
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Sitting here at the end of 2024, many of us are feeling uncertain about the future. Perhaps apprehensive and worried, fearful, or maybe sometimes hopeful, and possibly even at moments excited about the thrill of being alive in an era of intense upheaval and transformation. With intense political and social tension as well as grand…
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It’s okay to change In a recent session we followed the client’s desire to walk up to the top of the hill to sit. From this beautiful perspective we could listen to the trees singing with the gentle breeze beside us, see two sandhill cranes fly over the barn, feel the sun on our backs,…
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In the last six months the horses have invited me into a deep space of connection. It began with a few injuries over the winter which led to an equine massage therapist coming here for some sessions with the horses. Then this summer, after feeding the horses their supplement in the barn each afternoon, I…
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This summer I’ve been reading various fantasy series which have been both a fun distraction and nourishment for my imagination. In one a prominent character or element was “the cauldron.” It was a mysterious and all powerful force, feared and revered. It stuck with me, bringing to mind magic, witches, feminine energy, the void, the…
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In hanging out with the herd lately, I’ve been reflecting on relationship. Showing up with the horses each day, just like any relationship, means exploring how to open our hearts with another. The horses offer such a clear space to reflect and experience: how can I not take things personally? Can I stay present to…
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It’s springing, if you find yourself in the Northern Hemisphere. I love experiencing the land begin its exhale of energy out from where it has gathered for winter in the belly of the earth, starting with the wildflowers on the forest floor, then up to the bushes, then all the way to the treetops. The horses…
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From my perspective, this has been a winter filled with various “problems” for the herd’s health. One lost weight, one had a bacterial hoof issue, one tweaked something in his hind leg while playing, one had a choking incident, one felt depressed and withdrawn, all have had gastrointestinal issues. I have had a lot of…
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Solstice greetings. It’s the end of 2023, almost the shortest day of the year and longest night. A time of completions, contemplations, and reflections in the midst of gatherings, celebrations and traditions. The dark time of year, and the quiet time. Nature’s way. As part of nature, we have a rhythm within us as well….
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I call Levi my “heart horse,” a term that horse people use to describe a profound human-horse connection. Truthfully, I adore all of our animals. Yet Levi continues to be the horse that leads me into a deeper relationship with myself, and therefore my heart. He keeps taking me to my edge, unveiling the power…
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I grew up in South Carolina riding horses. I’ve worked various jobs in government, nonprofits, and start-ups. I’ve lived in Boulder, Colorado; Washington, DC; Bloomington, Indiana; New York City; Chicago, IL; and finally here I am, a Michigander. In 2018 my best friend died from cancer. Six months later I found myself depressed, stuck, and…
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Horses getting furry, daylight waning, crisp leaves fluttering back to ground. With the weather change comes the end of Inner Freedom’s first season, and what a beautiful first season it has been! When I launched this heart offering in May of this year it was only a tiny seedling, and it still feels like that…
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During a friend’s recent visit we had a few hours to be with the horses. We went into the pasture to relax with a few tarot/ oracle card decks for fun, including one deck called “Touched By a Horse” by Melisa Pearce. As we were observing the herd and pulling cards the recently arrived burro,…
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Sitting in the pasture, feeling into the space that the herd lives in, listening to the late summer cricket chorus and the breeze move the leaves in the trees. Following up on the arrival of the mare and burro from my last newsletter, when I opened the gates to let the mare and burro out with…
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Ever since I started dreaming about Inner Freedom l’ve been dreaming about a mare. In a herd of wild horses it’s generally an older female, or mare, that leads the herd. We hear a lot about wild stallions and how powerful they are, and that’s true; yet the stallion is often pushing the herd in…
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Question: Is this therapy with horses? Answer: This is a question people ask me when I share what I’m exploring through my offerings with Inner Freedom. While many people, myself included, find Equine Guided Empowerment® therapeutic, I am not a mental health practitioner or therapist, so no, this is not therapy. Out of curiosity, I…
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The pause. That feeling when things aren’t moving, options feel exhausted, forcing isn’t working. Perhaps uncomfortable emotions like frustration, anxiety, anger, sadness, grief, or rage arise in reaction to not getting “our way.” Does this resonate with you? It’s possible that I may not have really noticed this pattern in myself before a few years…
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Recently I had a chance to see the film 32 Sounds (Sam Green, 2022). It was a profound exploration of what sound is, and a shake-up to my sense of hearing. The composer Annea Lockwood is featured in the film, and one of her reflections centers on the idea of “listening with” as opposed to…
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I was talking with a friend recently about the cultivation of my heart offering, Inner Freedom LLC, and the sharing of it with other people. In this discussion my friend asked, “what do horses have to do with inner freedom, and just what is inner freedom?” Great question! While it’s an experience and paradigm and…
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In a recent workshop I attended, the teacher invited us into an “I don’t know” meditation. For ten minutes, eyes closed, repeating slowly out loud, “I don’t know.” To every sensation, thought, emotion feeling, any passing awareness – I don’t know. At first it felt weird and uncomfortable to me. Then I felt tension release…
Events
Testimonials
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Our time spent with Elizabeth at Inner Freedom was spacious, healing, and enlightening. The farm is bright and beautiful, and the way Elizabeth holds space is deeply nourishing. The practices Elizabeth guided us through were an invitation to return to our essence, to connect with the earth, our bodies, and, of course, the powerful, gentle horses. Ever since visiting, I’ve found myself returning again and again to Elizabeth’s words, guidance, and simple practices for tuning in and connecting. Deeply grateful for Inner Freedom’s invitation to return to my senses, and experience my partnership and the present more fully, from a grounded, embodied place.
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I've been reflecting on the powerful experience we shared last weekend, the phrase ‘claim your space’ really resonated with me as I see its application in so much of my life, in addition to walking from the core with confidence. The power and majesty of connecting and partnering with horses on the ground speaks to me perhaps more than riding them. I loved the space we shared.
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Thank you again for the beautiful, healing experience that you created. You have a tremendous gift. Your gentle invitation to connect more deeply with ourselves, and then with the horses and back to ourselves, made a palpable change in my energy and state of mind. Your horses are healers, and you are a healer and you are doing great work.