“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.”

– Peter Drucker

As humans, and as living beings, non-verbal body language is our oldest and still truest form of communication. Whether it’s a flinch, a lurch, a grin, a look, or otherwise, many of our bodies have been tuned to read and convey ‘threat,’ ‘yay,’ ‘please,’ ‘ew,’ ‘thank you,’ and other common cues, with immense honesty and accuracy, since our earliest days. Despite these beginnings—especially in a world now popping, buzzing, and flashing with constant stimulation and with non-acted written and audio-recorded language and lessened human interaction—non-verbal communication can be difficult for some people to pick up, and even more so to master.

This is where our presenter today, Crystal Birchmeier of Happy Hooves Wellness, loves to help her clients be more tuned in and socially present. As powerful, but non-verbal creatures themselves, horses can make for excellent friends in this sort of practice. While geared especially to help with executive function disorders and ASD, for anyone, her program can feel enriching and therapeutic.

Today she used her time to show an example of one of her clients successfully interacting with and guiding a horse through light obstacles on her farm. First teaching her clients to assess their environments when they enter to get an idea if anything might upset their horse, she then focuses heavily on the client ‘asking’/leading/motivating their horse, and not ‘forcing’ or ‘making’ them take action. Clients are also shown how to use incentives like feed and clickers as well as light guiding force to communicate their intentions.

This practice of non-verbally communicating intent and intuiting the feelings of another large being is something that Crystal’s clients really enjoy, and seems to serve as both a welcome respite from and a good primer for, communicating meaningfully on this big buzzy planet.

You can connect with Crystal to sign up yourself or a loved one up for one of her programs. Consider visiting a B2B meeting to hear more presentations from amazing Washtenaw-area businesses like Happy Hooves, and become a member to deliver your own presentation eventually. We, and Crystal, would love to have you out!