Send us a text In this episode of The Empathetic Trainer podcast, host Barbara O’Brien chats with Jessica Gonzalez, a dedicated horse rescuer and author of Equine Empowerment. They discuss how horses help people heal, the power of positive reinforcement training, and the deep bond between horses and young people. Jessica shares her journey, the cha…

Send us a text Barbara O’Brien talks with horse trainer, coach and author Dr. Shelley Appleton about building trust and confidence between riders and their horses. Shelley shares how things like fear, aging, and hormones can affect riding, especially for women. They talk about the importance of patience, understanding, and learning to see things fr…

Send us a text Have you ever wondered what it takes to train a service dog that can transform someone's life? In this heartwarming episode, we sit down with Chelsey Bosak from Helping Paws Minnesota, an organization that specializes in training service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, veterans, and first responders affected by PTSD.…

Send us a text Have you ever felt a profound connection to something that completely shifted your life's direction? In this episode of the Empathetic Trainer Podcast, we chat with Chris Lombard, a horse trainer and author who found his calling in the equine world at the age of 26. Chris shares his transformative journey from a conventional life to …

Send us a text Ingrid Henry, an equine coach, discusses the importance of trust and consistency in building a strong relationship with horses. Ingrid emphasizes the need for patience and understanding when working with challenging horses and highlights the value of undemanding time spent with them. She also addresses the issue of fear in horse-huma…

Send us a text Experience the transformative power of animal therapy with our special guest Grace Olson, a dedicated therapist and author from Leeds, West Yorkshire, whose unique practice involves the compassionate companionship of horses and sheep. Grace shares her fascinating journey into animal therapy, which began with her sheep, Merlin, provid…

Send us a text Kari Bastier of Wag &Train, is a dog behaviorist and canine nutritionist. She debunks the dominance theory, showing that dogs act out due to stress and anxiety and not a desire to dominate their owners. Carrie emphasizes the gut-brain connection, sharing stories about Paisley, a chocolate lab, whose behavior issues were improved by a…

Send us a text New Zealand Horse advocate and author, Julie Smart joins Barbara O'Brien in a conversation not just about training, but about retraining ourselves to listen, to watch, and to feel the subtle cues that horses give us when trying to communicate. We talk about how spending undemanding time with our horses changes how they feel about and…

Have you ever struggled to have a conversation about mental health in the workplace? It can be hard for both employees and leaders to know how to have these conversations. In this episode, Amanda Morin talks to her co-host Talli Dolge, who is joined by her colleague Dr. Trina Clayeux, the CEO of Give an Hour. Talli and Trina share the work they're …

Send us a text Susan Friedland and I explore the world of Marguerite Henry, a beloved author whose stories have enchanted readers for years. From "Misty of Chincoteague" to "King of the Wind" and so many others, Henry's books have made a lasting impression on people of all ages. We talk about how much Henry loved horses, especially Morgan horses, a…

Have you ever been asked to "circle back" or "put a pin in that" in a meeting? Workplace jargon and buzzwords are the worst! On this episode, hosts Amanda Morin and Talli Dolge talk to Karin Bilich, Head of Content at Noom about the importance of using plain language for effective communication. Karin, a content creator, storyteller, and health tec…

Send us a text Join Barbara O'Brien as she chats with Laura Carter, a dog trainer and author, about the secrets to bonding with your dog, even during indoor downtime or when they're on rest. Laura shares practical tips for keeping your pup mentally engaged, including fun activities like scent work. They also debunk common myths about dog training, …

If you've ever had a bad boss, you're not alone. But what are the qualities of a good boss? And why are trust, empathy, and authenticity so important in leadership? On this episode, hosts Amanda Morin and Talli Dolge talk about why they're talking about leadership, share their own stories of good bosses, and hear listeners talk about the good leade…

Send us a text In this interview, Barbara O'Brien talks with Kara Wilhelmsen from Creature Comforts Pet Services about her approach to animal training. Kera stresses the importance of kindness and understanding when working with animals, rather than using fear or intimidation. She shares her experiences working with dogs, including her own challeng…

Get ready for The Empathetic Edge, a podcast about empathetic and intentional leadership. Join us this season as co-hosts Amanda Morin and Talli Dolge talk to people across the workplace spectrum about everything from jargon and plain language to how to bridge generational divides as the workplace gets both older and younger to how to make workplac…

Ever struggled to understand the fine line between empathy and sympathy? Prepare to have the fog lifted as David White and I delve into the emotional labyrinth that is workers' compensation. We're not just chatting about feelings; we're tackling the tough situation of injured workers and how our response—empathy over sympathy—can either build bridg…

Send us a text Lockie Phillips, Founder of Emotional Horsemanship, joins us on our podcast to share his insights on empathy and horses. He tells us how we can reimagine horse training and move beyond obedience to establish a deeper connection based on compassion. Lockie believes that training programs should be horse centered and focused on the wel…

Send us a text Tune in to hear Lynn Acton, acclaimed author and horse trainer, share practical tips on how to build trust and connection with your horse. Learn about the basics of earning trust, using clear body language, moving away from dominance based training, and understanding horses' emotions. Lynn also talks about being a protector leader an…

Send us a text Join us as we speak with cat behaviorist, Mikel Delgado about how your cat's name can affect its personality and why it's hard for some cats to just get along. Learn about Mikel's journey from being in a punk rock band to cat expert. Learn how to make a happy home for multiple cats and discover easy ways to keep your cat content.Get …

Send us a text Summary Dr. Susan Faye discusses the importance of horses in our lives and the lessons they teach us. She emphasizes the need for emotional awareness and being present with horses and other animals. Dr. Faye explains how energy regulation and acknowledging our emotions can improve our relationships with animals. She also discusses he…

In this conversation, Jason Crow and David White discuss the misconceptions and best practices for building trust. They emphasize the importance of trust in various relationships, including those in the claims-adjusting industry. They define trust as a firm belief in the reliability, truthability, or strength of someone or something. They debunk th…

Send us a text When Dr. Ian Dunbar talks about dogs, it's impossible not to sit up and listen. His latest work, "Barking Up the Right Tree," is more than a book; it's a manifesto for compassionate canine companionship that promises to redefine our relationships with our four-legged friends. Tales of cows with personality and horses with heart remin…

Send us a text Ever wished you could truly understand the world of horses? Longed for a deeper connection that transcends conventional horse training? Join host, Barbara O'Brien as we talk with with liberty trainer Tiffany Stauffer of Grace and Grit Horsemanship, who left the financially secure world of engineering to start her own business helping…

Send us a text Do you remember the first time you bit off more than you could chew? When your overconfidence landed you in a pickle that you weren’t prepared for? Well, that's exactly what happened to me when I made the rookie mistake of booking a Siberian tiger for a high-end department store’s furniture shoot in my early days of running an animal…

Send us a text Chris Kman, photographer and wild horse advocate shares with us her work to preserve the wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. The Park Service has proposed eliminating the horses from the park completely. Join us as Chris explains what is happening and what you can do to keep the horses, a national treasur…

Send us a text Katenna Jones transitioned from a volunteer dog walker as a teen to a certified applied animal behaviorist and fear free trainer consultant. Learn why heavy-handed dominance based training didn't resonate with her and how punishment merely suppresses behavior rather than changing it. Listen in as she guides you through practical advi…

Send us a text Join us for an intriguing journey into the world of cats with Julie Ann Thorne, a certified behaviorist and author. Inspired by her rescue cat Pickle, Julie founded Naturally Cats and wrote the enlightening book, "Cat Chakras." Discover Julie's deep bond with Pickle and her fresh take on being a cat guardian. Julie delves into the my…

Send us a text Join us as we chat with Kerri Lake, author of Listen like a Horse and Spiritually Gifted. Kerri explains the value of awareness and the importance of being present in our lives. She shares how this self-awareness has helped her communicate and connect with horses. https://www.empathetic-trainer.com/…