The horses standing quietly in the arena don't ask questions.

They don't judge. They don't diagnose. They simply respond to what is happening in the moment.

For the women behind Hopes Blessings, that simple truth has become the foundation of a mission to help people in Logan County, and beyond, work through grief, trauma, life transitions and emotional wounds that often linger long after the original event has passed.

Located in a quiet barn setting, Hopes Blessings offers Equine Gestalt Coaching, a trauma-informed coaching approach that partners horses with humans in the healing process.

Saturday, July 25, Marie and Lori Ackley of Hopes Blessings invite the community to experience this type of therapy first-hand during an open house planned from 10 am to noon at their farm, 9250 N. Township Road 169, West Liberty. The morning of healing, hope and horse connection will include free demonstrations.

This therapy method was developed by Melisa Pearce, founder of the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®, which combines coaching, somatic awareness and experiential processes designed to help clients address unresolved emotional experiences.

The approach is rooted in Gestalt theory, a concept centered on wholeness and bringing unfinished experiences into awareness.

"It's about helping people move toward wholeness," Marie Ackley explained. "Most of the time, whatever is showing up in the present moment is connected to something unfinished in the past."

Those unfinished moments can take many forms.

Sometimes they stem from significant trauma such as abuse, PTSD, major medical procedures, accidents or loss. Other times they can be traced back to a seemingly small event — a hurtful comment, a painful childhood experience, or a life transition that quietly altered someone's path.

According to the coaches, those unresolved experiences often continue to influence relationships, decisions and emotional responses years later.

Unlike traditional therapy, Hopes Blessings operates as a coaching practice and does not diagnose mental health conditions. Instead, sessions focus on helping participants become aware of emotions and body responses connected to past experiences. The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method emphasizes experiential and somatic work, having horses as active partners in the process.

"The body speaks first," Lori said. "The horses often notice things before we do."

That belief comes from years of personal experience.

The journey began when the family was given a horse for their daughter, Marie, when she was 13 years old. What started as a simple gift unexpectedly changed the direction of their lives.

At Equine Affaire, a horse exposition, they attended demonstrations led by Melisa Pearce and picked up information about her coaching program. Years later, the business card resurfaced at a time when they were questioning what came next in life.

Soon afterward, mother and daughter enrolled in Pearce's intensive two-year certification program, making multiple trips to Colorado for training.

Before discovering Equine Gestalt Coaching, Lori shared that she had spent nearly a decade in traditional counseling yet still felt something remained unresolved.

"I worked very hard trying to heal myself," she said. "Then, I found this work, and everything finally clicked."

Their passion for helping others deepened through personal hardship.

The family faced a life-changing challenge when a heart surgery complication left husband and father Hal paralyzed and reliant on a wheelchair. The experience opened their eyes to the challenges faced not only by those living with disabilities, but also by caregivers and family members.

"When something like that happens, the entire family is affected," Lori said. "There wasn't much support for caregivers. That became one of my biggest passions."

Today, caregivers, individuals living with chronic illness, those navigating grief, and people struggling with trauma are among the groups they feel especially called to serve.

The horses themselves also have stories of resilience.

Trigger, the miniature horse, and Sharkey, a partially blind standardbred, now partner with them in Gestalt, after difficult beginnings of their own. Several horses have come to the farm through rehoming, arriving with histories that required patience, trust and healing.

The coaches believe those experiences make the animals uniquely suited to helping people facing their own struggles.

Clients do not ride the horses during coaching sessions. Instead, the work happens on the ground through observation, interaction, and guided experiences.

The business also offers retreats, demonstrations and community events designed to introduce people to a healing potential accompanied by the horse-human connection.

In a world that often encourages people to push through pain, the coaches hope to provide a space where people can slow down, be present and finally address what has been weighing on them.

After a thorough discussion of the procedures that a client goes through when working with Lori and Marie at Hopes Blessings, they invited me to experience a session.

First, I was taken through the proper way I was to (or not to) interact with the horses. During the initial safety session, I was encouraged to allow the horses to initiate interaction with the understanding that I could push them away should I feel uncomfortable.

Then, I was encouraged to settle on what was bothering me most. Since I feel surrounded by stresses lately, I looked through a stack of horse pictures to pick the one that struck me most. I chose two. One picture represented determination, and the other was a protective mother.

It makes sense if you know me. I am quite the momma bear, but my sons are adults. However, not long after the focus was identified, I was walked through the real issue. I was angry about some things that are rooted in our past.

Trigger made the time to walk near me, and then he laid down to flip completely over.

“What do you think that signifies?” Lori asked. “He could sense some freedom in something you said. When a horse flips over, it signifies freedom. What more do you need to release?”

I cried and got some things out that had been hidden inside of me, creating stress that is unhealthy. Lori and Marie took their time to draw it out with several methods, including a playground ball and even a pool noodle.

“I can see and hear your anger,” Lori said, “Squeeze this pool noodle as you continue to talk about the trauma.”

But then, it was clear. I was blaming myself. I was holding on to that blame and weaponizing it against myself, and heaven forbid… others.

She gave me the ball.

“Put all of the anger and blame into that ball, and throw it away from you. It is not yours,” Lori said as Marie walked near Trigger, who had very little to do with me. I was holding too much hurt, pain and blame.

I could not throw the ball. If I was being truthful to myself, I felt the blame and responsibility of what had and was happening deeply. Trigger sneered at me, turned his head and walked away from me.

I paced and held my blame-ball, feeling the need to throw it without the ability to do so. Finally, after some time and with the help of the coaches, I felt the bravery to throw it. The blame and responsibility is not mine.

“They know who they are. Those people won’t get away with it forever,” I said.

“No, they won't,” Lori agreed, reminding me of the righteous judge they will one day face.

Then, Trigger walked toward me. He didn’t let me touch him, but he showed some approval in my progress.

“He’s not ready for you to pet him. You need more work to gain that from him,” Lori knew.

Once it was over, and on my drive home, I had a clearer understanding of what I had to do. I wasn’t afraid. I was able to brace myself to do what I felt was right. I knew I wanted more of this therapy.

There was no hokey religious strangeness. I had released some heaviness. I had gained some clarity inside of a situation that is full of stress and emotion. I decided to book more time with them.

For those carrying grief after the death of a loved one, processing trauma from abuse, adjusting to a medical diagnosis, or simply trying to rediscover themselves after life's unexpected turns, Lori and Marie Ackley believe healing begins with being seen and heard— sometimes by a horse standing quietly in the arena.

And in that quiet space, they hope people can find what Gestalt means at its heart: Wholeness.