I am a true believer that animals help humans heal, grow and evolve into the best version of ourselves.

My journey to this awareness began nearly 10 years ago, when I started working with the race horses my husband trained. The more involved I was at the barn, the better I felt about myself! Though I enjoyed my work as a teacher, being around horses on a regular basis fulfilled me in a way being a teacher never did. When Jim asked if I wanted to work with him and the horses full time, I jumped at the opportunity.

Over time, I learned and implemented various forms of therapy to help the horses recover from their racing injuries. All the while, I was secretly wishing I had psychic abilities to communicate with the horses so I could ask them what was wrong and how I could help. I hadn’t yet discovered I could indeed communicate with them!

Eventually, life led me to a Reiki class. The night after my first Reiki class, something called me to the barn to try it with the horses. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, because no part of the Reiki course talked specifically about how to Reiki with animals, but I followed my instincts and gave it a whirl. Something was happening! The horses were physically responding to the energy. As an added bonus, I was feeling better after each session I did with them. I started sharing Reiki with all of our horses on a regular basis and started noticing how my intuitive abilities were showing up in places they weren’t apparent before.

Working with horses on an energetic level led me to believing in myself and things I never thought I would be capable of—like energy healing and animal communication. I decided I was ready to sign up for a course to learn how to develop my animal communication skills further.

Unfortunately, two weeks into the course, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. “Stage IV. Palliative care only. 6-8 months, possibly.” The words burned into my heart. Jim died less than 4 months later. My heart was broken, the loss amplified by having to liquidate our business and sell all the horses. I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. I was completely lost. Needless to say, I didn’t complete that animal communication course.

In an effort to stay connected with the horses, I continued offering Animal Reiki sessions and began volunteering Reiki at a local animal shelter, until I could figure out what I would do with myself for work. I cried and released as much, if not more than the animals during these sessions. Every animal I worked with during this time held space for me to grieve without judgment or expectation. They allowed me to cry and then did silly things to make me laugh. They were teaching me to trust myself and my intuition.

Amidst the grief and heartbreak, I found gratitude for the opportunity to start over and choose any path I wanted. I didn’t want to go back to teaching just because I had a master’s degree or because that was the smart/logical/safe thing to do—no matter how much the people around me encouraged me to do so. It would be easier to get a 9-5, have a steady income, not worry about insurance or bills, but it didn’t feel right in my heart.

I believe with all my heart that part of the Soul Contract I had with my husband was that he would cross over before me so I would have this time to work on my own karmic lessons. Knowing this pushes me to keep working toward my dreams no matter how hard it may seem. I will not give up. I continue my journey in honor of the love I shared with my husband, but also to honor my own soul and the karmic lessons I chose to incarnate in this lifetime to work on. And here I am now: Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Intuitive Life Coach, and Animal Reiki Master Teacher.

I have the joy of sharing my life again with a favorite horse of my husband and me, Hercules, who has returned to me, a happily retired race horse. Hercules continues to teach me soul level lessons each and every day, along with our 4 barn cats that are now living comfortably at home with me. With their help and the lessons from all the animals I encounter, I am healing, growing and evolving into the best version of myself a little bit each day.

With Love and Gratitude,
Anna Marie