Natural Leadership Equine Therapy or Coaching Certification Program

Virtual Course with Live Support and in-person Equine Experiences Specifically Designed for Leaders, Coaches and Mental Health Professionals

Next cohort beginning January, 2027!

Limited to 10 participants to ensure personalized attention.

In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure environment, true leadership requires more than strategic knowledge—it requires deep self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and embodied presence. Whether you are leading teams, guiding an organization, or supporting others, people respond to who you are, not just what you say.

This 6-month hybrid certification equips professionals and leaders from all backgrounds with the tools to cultivate authentic leadership through the profound mirror of horse-human connection.

Upon registering, you will have access to original Natural Leadership content, which will provide a basic overview of the model, how to use it to better understand yourself, and how you can begin to bring the model to life in your personal and/or professional relationships and begin applying it with your coaching clients or therapeutic patients. Upon completing your final onsite if you pass the certification program you will be able to use the Natural Leadership model to coach clients. The model can be used for both in-person experiential work with horses and in virtual 1:1 sessions without an equine partner. You will get practice doing both throughout the program.

Natural Leadership Accelerated Coaching Certification Program

Modern workplaces and leadership roles come with unprecedented challenges:

  • Overwhelming anxiety from constant connectivity
  • Difficulty accessing their intuition amidst information overload
  • Challenges with authentic self-expression in curated digital spaces
  • Disconnection from grounded, embodied presence under stress
  • Burnout from performing rather than simply being

Horses offer what no other modality can—immediate, honest feedback about our authentic presence. They don't respond to our stories, credentials, or carefully constructed personas. They respond only to who we are in this moment, making them the perfect partners for breakthrough transformation.

The Neuroscience of Presence

  • Evidence-based understanding of horse-human interaction

  • How equine-assisted work rewires stress responses

  • Somatic techniques that create lasting change

  • Working with the nervous system for deeper healing

Natural Leadership Framework

  • Our proven model refined over 15+ years with thousands of clients

  • Moving beyond cognitive insight to embodied transformation

  • Creating safe containers for profound breakthrough moments

  • Integration practices that ensure lasting change

Advanced Facilitation & Relational Dynamics

  • How to read subtle non-verbal cues in workplace, team, and interpersonal settings

  • Navigating resistance, conflict, and pressure with calm authority

  • Developing high-level listening and feedback skills that inspire action

Applying Natural Leadership to Your Life & Career

  • Bringing experiential leadership principles into your current role, team, or organization

  • Designing impact-driven retreats, workshops, or team-building experiences (if applicable)

  • Elevating your personal leadership brand and interpersonal influence

Program Structure

  • Over 50 Hours of Instruction

    This hybrid course features over 20 hours of direct instruction over Zoom and over 30 hours of equine-assisted instruction.

  • Virtual Instruction

    Our team will provide direct instruction and opportunities to work with Natural Leadership Principles during Zoom calls and on Slack.

  • Two Equine Experiences

    During two separate, in-person, 3-day equine-assisted workshops (one optional), participate in hands-on learning and apply Natural Leadership principles.

  • Course Length

    This is an approximately 6-month long hybrid virtual course that features engaging exercises, two Zoom calls per module, and two equine-assisted workshops (one optional).

  • Materials

    Using a combination of reading materials, audio and video content, and exercises you will learn about, apply and integrate Natural Leadership.

  • Support & Mentoring

    Our team will provide coaching, support and mentoring through the Cohort's private Slack Channel, Zoom calls, and at the Equine Experience Workshops.

Program Schedule

Cohort starts: January 8, 2027  |  Final call: July 23, 2027

Includes two immersive onsite equine retreats — January 15–17 and June 11–13.

View Full Program Schedule
Session Date
Module 0 & 1: Welcome Call Jan 8, 2027
Onsite Equine Experience #1 Jan 15–17, 2027
Module 2 (Part 1) Jan 22, 2027
Module 2 (Part 2) Feb 5, 2027
Module 3 (Part 1) Feb 19, 2027
Module 3 (Part 2) Mar 5, 2027
Module 4 (Part 1) Mar 19, 2027
Module 4 (Part 2) Apr 2, 2027
Module 5 Apr 16, 2027
Module 6 (Part 1) Apr 30, 2027
Module 6 (Part 2) May 14, 2027
Module 7 (Part 1) May 21, 2027
Module 7 (Part 2) Jun 4, 2027
Onsite Equine Experience #2 Jun 11–13, 2027
Module 8 (Part 1) Jun 25, 2027
Module 8 (Part 2) Jul 9, 2027
Final Call — Wrap Up & Next Steps Jul 23, 2027

Perfect for Leaders Who

  • Believe in the wisdom of the body and somatic approaches

  • Are drawn to nature-based healing modalities

  • Seek evidence-based methods that honor both science and soul

  • Want to work with high-performing clients dealing with modern stressors

  • Are ready to deepen their own embodied presence

Our graduates aren't just certified—they're transformed.

They report:

  • Increased client retention and referrals

  • Ability to charge premium rates for unique services

  • Deeper, faster breakthroughs with clients

  • Personal transformation that enhances all their work

  • Access to a global network of innovative practitioners

Testimonials

“The Natural Leadership Certification has been a master-class in coaching, relationship dynamics and self-awareness. After years of searching for the right program, this connects all the dots of awareness, personal growth and group dynamics.”

A.D.

“This is best in class when it comes to equine assisted facilitation work. The course is created with great care and delivered with a deep understanding of the content and love for the future practitioner. I highly recommend this life changing experience on every level!”

C.B.

“This certification program is life-changing and allowed me to dig so much deeper into my own growth while also gaining tools and learning ways to support people 1:1 as a leader.”

H.K.

Pricing options

Pay in full now or pay monthly - you choose!

  • $10,880.00

    EARLY BIRD PRICE (Full Price $12,800) — Save 15% when you register before October 25th!

    Register Now

  • 5 x $2,560.00

    Monthly Payments over 5 Months

    Register Now

Begin Your Journey This January

Join a carefully curated cohort of coaches, leaders, and therapists ready to bring this transformative work into the world. Together, we'll explore how horses can help our clients—and ourselves—reclaim the authentic presence that no amount of digital innovation can replace.

Limited to 10 participants to ensure personalized attention.

Instructor

Brad Lande-Shannon

Owner, Head Leadership Coach

A long-time C-suite executive himself, Brad Lande-Shannon has a first-hand understanding of the pressures and stresses that face company founders, leaders, and high performance teams. This is partly why he first turned to Natural Leadership as he faced his own professional challenges.

Brad's passion for horses has been a life-long pursuit. Having competed with the National Cutting Horse Association as a youth and now as an adult amateur dressage competitor, he’s combined his deep horse expertise with his executive leadership coaching. Over the course of his career, Brad has guided thousands of leaders on values, purpose, emotional intelligence, and well-being.

Certified in the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership and following training from The Center for Equus Coaching (formerly The Koelle Institute), Brad enrolled in the Natural Leadership program. Compared to other programs, Brad says Natural Leadership is, “deceptively simple and multi-dimensional in its use cases to apply and teach.”

Brad has an equestrian facility that offers Natural Leadership facilitation, coaching and programming at Awake Ranch, near Portland, Oregon, which he acquired with his husband in late 2022. “We are home to 16 horses, three goats, and two cats surrounded by Pacific Northwest trees and on farmland that regularly displays exquisite sunset and sunrise views.”

Jeanette Christensen

Medical Director

Dr. Jeanette Christensen (Jay) is a licensed psychiatrist, executive coach, and healthcare consultant with over 20 years of experience in mental health and leadership development. She holds a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree and an MBA from Texas A&M University. Jay is board-certified in adult, adolescent, and child psychiatry and is trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Integrative Enneagram, and conscious leadership coaching. She also holds certifications in sex therapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Jay is licensed in multiple states, including Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, and Oregon. She is the Medical Director and oversees CUE’s Mental Health Professional components. Jay’s approach integrates mental, physical, and emotional aspects of health, using horses to foster personal transformation.

When not designing programs, Jay enjoys world travel and spending time with her horse, Titan, always seeking personal growth and ready for her next adventure.

To complete the course for certification, you will:

  • Complete all of the learning modules.

  • Complete all of the exercises.

  • Attend at least 75% of the Community Gathering Zoom calls.

  • Attend two onsite Natural Leadership Equine Experience Workshops (offered as part of this program).

  • Engage with a Circle Up facilitator in-person for at least one coaching session (offered within this program).

  • Engage with a Circle Up facilitator in-person (or video recorded) showing how you apply the model to coach another individual (offered during onsite experiences).

  • Pass the certification evaluation coaching session that takes place at the final Equine Experience Workshop.