Sheep coaching

Daniela Holtz offers coaching in the midst of a flock of sheep - relax, be mindful, tackle problems

Birds are chirping, the sun is slowly breaking through the clouds. I'm sitting on a camping chair in the middle of a green meadow, Daniela Holtz next to me and a flock of sheep around us. I can hear the sheep grazing, see them approaching curiously, eyeing us, sometimes sniffing at us and then moving on at a leisurely pace. Some are still asleep. It is peaceful. Calm.

Daniela Holtz is a coach and helps people to relax, to be mindful of themselves, to come to terms with themselves, to tackle problems, to recognize and allow their needs, wishes and feelings. She has completed an animal-assisted systemic coaching and counseling course and has already worked with sheep. She now offers "sheep coaching" herself, with a flock of sheep from sheep farmer Stefan Naber.

Gentle animals

"Sheep are very well suited to coaching work. They are very gentle and balanced animals, but can also react very quickly and agilely. And they are very sensitive and masters at reading their counterparts," explains Daniela Holtz. She offers coaching sessions for individuals, couples and teams. "By observing the animals, conclusions can be drawn about your own problem or life and transferred to a specific situation. This is helpful for finding and implementing solutions," says Daniela Holtz. During team coaching, everyone looks at which sheep from the herd they would like to be. As a rule, animals have positive connotations and people tend to forgive particular behavior. This is a good place to start in a figurative sense and promote team spirit and mutual understanding." She also trains the teams to work together, for example when driving the flock of sheep.

She uses a client to explain what people can find here: A young woman who had lost her father quite suddenly and was unable to say goodbye. "The woman was able to find a sheep in the flock that resembled her father in nature and was able to say goodbye again," says Daniela Holtz. "A lot of things were resolved and many tears were shed."

Raised with the bottle

"Simply being in nature is grounding, as is feeling the wind or the rain," explains Daniela Holtz. Simply sitting in the middle of the herd, watching or even listening with your eyes closed is enough to relax. Some sheep come very close. And the brown sheep "Chocolate" even lets you stroke and cuddle it. This releases happiness hormones. "Schokolade" or "Knuddel" (as Stefan Naber's children call it) has been bottle-fed and is therefore very tame and trusting.

"I don't have a set program when I work with clients in the herd," explains Daniela Holtz. "Every time the situation is new and I have to see what the sheep can give at that very moment. A life in the here and now that I want to convey to the clients." Nadine Wenge

About the person/contact: Daniela Holtz studied social sciences and is a trained master coach (DGSC). She works as a coach and further education trainer. She has completed sheep seminars and has a certificate of competence from the veterinary office. She offers a mindfulness group in the sheep herd on Fridays. More information about coaching and dates: www.coachingraumnatur.de