Meet Trailblazer Janice Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Janice Story.

Janice, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My parents divorced when I was pretty young, and there always seemed to be some type of traumatic event going on in my life and around me. We all have our own stories of trauma and survival, and I definitely have had my share of them. I won’t go into a lot of detail here, but I’ll put it this way, there is probably not too much that you could tell me that I could not understand or relate too, or had not been through myself.
I realized when I turned sixteen that I needed to get out of the environment I was in before I ended up taking my own life, so I moved out on my own. I made a few unhealthy choices and ended up in a relationship with a drug addict who was abusive in many ways, It took a few years, but I finally managed to get out of that one. I lost a baby and survived a really bad wreck. I thought I was a pretty tough person and I was really strong, and I was a survivor. Fast forward through the next thirty years, and a lot of other “stuff” that I was able to overcome. I had started looking into who I was and figuring out my purpose in life, and BAM! I ended up on the scene of a horrific accident in 2010, in which four people died, and many others were severely injured. That sent me spiraling into PTSD and turned my world upside down. I didn’t know what was happening. What? Do I have PTSD? No way, I was tough and strong! I had survived all of this “stuff” my whole life.

All that “stuff” that I thought I had dealt with, I had really just put them in boxes and buried them deep inside, and now the lids had come off all the boxes at once. I had no clue what to do. For the first time in my life, I had to accept the fact that I needed help, and I had to learn that it was ok to ask for it and receive it. With the amazing support of some wonderful teachers, I started on a journey of healing my own past traumas one at a time. Along the way, I realized that I could help and support others through my own experiences.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not! Has it all been worth it? Yes! One of the greatest things one of my teachers taught me was to look for the value and the gifts from my experiences. As challenging as that was at times, it helped me to release the emotions attached to the events and allowed healing to take place.

One of the biggest things that I struggled with was self-worth. I was always trying to take care of everyone else and please everyone else. I didn’t think there was a need to take care of myself… I just needed to survive. It was very challenging for me to learn to allow myself to “receive.” That I did matter! I was worthy! I was loved!

The best advise that I would share with someone would be to know that you are worthy! Know that you are loved! Be true to yourself and know that it’s ok to ask for help. Give yourself some compassion and grace when you make mistakes. And never let fear get in the way of following your dreams!

We’d love to hear more about Janice Story.
Horses have been a huge part of my healing throughout my life. When there wasn’t a person around to talk to, my horse was always waiting for me at the barn. They are very in tune with people and their energy.

Equine assisted coaching provides you with insight into your own state of well being and where you are at in the present moment. I never felt like I had the guidance or the support that I needed, so I have tried to create that for others. Horses have an extraordinary way of acting as a mirror reflecting back to us the endless opportunities for growth and expansion. No matter where you are at in your life, horses always have something to offer. They can help strengthen your connections with others, teach you trust, respect, love, compassion, leadership skills, and they are amazing at facilitating the process of helping to guide you through any physical, mental, social, or emotional recovery.

Working with the horses provides unlimited resources for help with any area of your life. Here are just a few examples… Confidence, trust/co-dependency, setting boundaries, recovering from trauma, forgiveness/ self-worth, and relationships. Horse therapy has had amazing results helping veterans and first responders with PTSD heal and learn coping skills. Improves lifestyles of people with physical, mental and emotional challenges. Helps children with self-esteem, and social skills. And they provide unconditional love for abused women and children. And they can help teens and adults with alcohol and drug addictions.

The horses and I are able to create a safe environment, and a natural process to help others find their own way, on their own journey into discovering who they are.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
A couple of books that have really helped me.
You Can heal your life – Louise Hay
You already know how to be great – Alan Fine
Invoking the Archangels – Sunny Dawn Johnston

Pricing:

• Equine Coaching Sessions $65 one hour session
• Reiki Sessions. $50. 45-60 minutes
• Reiki Classes $100 nine hour certification class

Contact Info:

• Website: www.janicestory.com
• Phone: 480-570-6593
• Email: janice.story@me.com
• Facebook: janice story

Image Credit:
Melissa Corter

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