background

After many years of living and working in remote and regional areas I came to understand the importance of storytelling for many people. Stories with Soma came about from years writing up life stories and memoirs for people, and noticing that feeling comfortable in bodies, made for better storytelling. At the same time I began to notice more horses with stories. Wherever I went horses were expressing their story through posture, body positions, facial movements, spiritual essence and social patterns. I realised stories were BIG and something we humans gave scant regard to .

Stories are part of our human heritage, with stories passed down through many, many generations, often through spoken words.

There is a beauty to storytelling, accessible across cultures, boundaries and belief systems.

Telling a story with another person or within a group can bring about attunement to self, others, the environment and animals. Sharing stories in a safe and attuned group, builds up good resources for us.

Horses have stories that have been carried with them through their life experiences, and some share stories from before. Their stories are guarded until we connect with them through their natural herd behaviours and language.

Somatic and body-based sensing from the inside helps our mind and body meet and befriend each other.

Stories with Soma activities are gentle body-oriented practices that can slowly increase our internal and external awareness of our system, connection to our surroundings and others.

We use story following rather than storytelling, that is, following our soma rather than telling our soma.

For horses, their somatic presence occurs from the inside out. This internal presence is offered organically as their system returns to felt safety and in the company of a harmonised other being. 

Settled horses can offer many people a safe place to be seen, heard, felt and understood without judgement or directions.

Just like us and other mammals, horses also have a nervous system that expands and contracts, moves and stands still. Together, our human nervous system and that of the horse can be felt through gentle body-oriented practices through somatic sensing and storytelling.

In nominated horse activities and sessions, we may touch, handle or ride a horse.

However, for the most part, we will be near a horse, in their presence with little touching or handling.

No horse experience is required, only a desire to be with them.

Sometimes, we're not with horses, but in nature, near a pet, or even a trusted friend.

If you're participating with your own horse, then our session may involve touching or handling from the ground, and it may not.

If your riding coach is there with us, then our activities may involve riding, and it may not.

As part of our introductory session, we will discuss the best options for you.

Activities using horses have a slightly higher fee, details available on contact with me.

For individual sessions we meet across the internet via video call, a phone call, or meet in person.

Group work is also on-line or in person.

I live in Tasmania making regular trips to the mainland. Area visits can be arranged as needed. Travel costs are disbursed and are in addition to the fee charged. Please contact me to discuss.

I grew up in Tasmania with a love of stories, often told around the fireplace. I also grew up with horses and playing in nature. So over time, the combination easily fell into Stories with Soma.

My work background is really varied and this helps me understand different situations. I have a Cert III in Business, a BArts (Hons) degree, and a PhD (University of Adelaide, SA). Briefly, this socio-cultural research used narrative and grounded theory methods underpinning participants storytelling.

I'm a Polyvagal Informed Coach with a Certificate for Play Zone Pro (Polyvagal Institute, USA).

I have a Certificate in Safety, Connection and the Human Experience by understanding and relating the autonomic nervous system to our well-being and personal development (Polyvagal Institute, USA).

My interests are people, animals, cultures, Indigenous people, business, communities, health and nature.

Reiki II Practitioner (equine and human) Tanran Lineage.

Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Practitioner.

Participate in various international equine/human workshops that are ethology and trauma informed.

I am an Equusoma® Level 2 graduate and qualified Equine Somatic Practitioner. The Canadian organisation Equusoma® promotes trauma recovery for horses and humans. Equusoma® is a paradigm that is grounded in Somatic Experiencing® as well as polyvagal theory, mammalian ethology, interpersonal neurobiology, interspecies neurobiology, comparative psychology and equitation science. I have completed a Calming Signals and Trauma Workshop, with Sarah Schlote (Equusoma®) and Rachaël Draaisma (Calming Signals and Scentwork Horses).

Current Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Card.

Current training in First Aid and CPR.

Member of the Australian Sociological Association, www.tasa.org.au.

Member of Oral History Tasmania, www.oralhistorytas.org.au as part of the national organisation, Oral History Australia, www.oralhistoryaustralia.org.au.

To consider creative interpretations of horses, relationships and connections, see combined project with Mel Keen at www.horsesfromtheinsideout.com

To understand more about nervous systems and poly-vagal informed work, see www.polyvagalinstitute.com

To understand more about horses, somatics, connections, relationships, trauma, attachment, mammals, ethology and neurobiology, see www.equusoma.com

As a non-Aboriginal person, I am available to help co-faciliate storytelling in a range of cultural situations. Please contact me to discuss. We can co-design a cultural agreement for storytelling projects with somatic and sensory activities that suit you, your family or community. On-country activities promote greater safety.

I work with people from 16 years and up, in non-ridden horse sessions, unless a qualified riding coach is present.

I can work at your place, a facility, or my own.

Stories with Soma has insurance to work with people and horses in different settings.

In Stories with Soma we work with noticing, observing and sensing skills, rather than therapeutic improvements.

Stories with Soma looks at differences and similarities, textures and colours, shapes and sounds, images and tactile points, feelings and responses, movements and meanings.

Together, we reflect into our stories, our senses, our internal self to our body, the environment and horses. Providing a safe and compassionate place to rest as your body begins to balance with your mind.

Gently supporting your self-awareness.

Waiting with what follows, underpins the essence of our activities.

The activities undertaken through Stories with Soma are for personal development. The activities are not therapy but support your sense of well-being under an Equine Assisted Learning model. As part of our sessions, activities, individual times, workshops and practices, both in-person and on-line, trauma may appear, and it may not. Together we can acknowledge trauma if it arises. Following this, you may wish to access a health care professional, counsellor or qualified therapist.

I work with both people’s stories and horse’s stories. Sometimes these are written in the form of books, notes and manuscripts. At other times, storytelling / story listening / story recording activities are undertaken. At other times the story of the body is seen, heard, felt and understood.

Upon consent from you, we can also seek to understand these multiple stories through explorations into Nature, horses and the environment. We’ll use somatic awareness, attunement and mind/body connections to understand ourselves and the horse.

I work across different cultures, communities and peoples,with a special interest in working with horses, people from remote and regional areas and Aboriginal people.

I work with people from ages 16 years and above who are seeking life-enhancing activities to improve their sense of well-being, with a desire to integrate their mind and body.

Through Stories with Soma, I can address issues relating to cross-cultural relationships and connections for communities,
groups and individuals. Other areas include life balance and self-improvement activities, understanding autonomic
nervous systems, and supporting, understanding and assisting horses through their body stories. I can also address storytelling/ story listening / story recording, book writing, creative activities, somatic support and socio-economic support.

However, there are populations and issues beyond my Scope of Practice. I am not a therapist and as such Stories with Soma and Louise Moylan does not offer therapy. Issues beyond my Scope of Practice are for medical practitioners, counsellors or qualified therapists.

Issues beyond my Scope of Practice include mental health support and planning, crisis support, critical care, psychological support,
psychotherapy and other help therapy. Working with young children, highly vulnerable people and challenging family groups are
beyond my Scope of Practice.

At any time, you may bring or seek 3rd party support to assist you; this is welcomed and encouraged.

The intellectual property contained within written materials, personal sessions and workshop activities represents pooled
information from a variety of sources, training, education and life experiences. The materials, information provided, sessions and workshops remain under © Copyright of Louise Moylan.

Horse welfare is of utmost importance. Felt safety, consent and attunement in relationships with people, horses, animals and nature inform Stories with Soma activities. Relationship with horses underpins horsemanship techniques, guided by their communication signals and nervous system states/blends.

Horse welfare is guided by principles under:

Safe Work Australia
Horse Safety Australia
Australian Horse Industry Council
Horse Welfare Protocol (Australian Animal Welfare Strategy)

Humane Hierarchy for welfare and training (see Friedman 2008)

LIMA Model: Least Invasive Minimally Aversive (see Lindsay 2005)

LIFE Model: Least Inhibitive Funtionally Effective (see Fernandez 2024)

As a settler on the land of the palawa people, I acknowledge the stories told, stories experienced and stories dreamt.

Living alongside kanamaluka, I acknowledge palawa rivers, seas and lands in lutruwita (Tasmania) as their home.

I acknowledge the devastating effects of colonisation and the impacts felt today.

Many thousands of years of ancestral homes, cultures, peoples, languages, spirits, places, songs, trading routes, plants and animals are here with us today.

"Always was, Always will be, Aboriginal Land"