Workshops & Course Offerings
Amnanda is a beautiful treatment to give as well as receive and is a wonderful gift to share with others. Therapist training takes place over the course of a year with participants both giving and receiving Amnanda within a small group of trainees. Training is held one day a month providing the opportunity for the group to exchange experiences and discover the scope of the therapy as they go through the process together. Giving and receiving treatments within the group creates an intensive energy, in which each treatment also becomes an initiation, enabling the participants to give Amnanda treatments to others after the third month.
Previous experience in massage therapy is not required and cultivating the ability to be mindful throughout the treatment is as important as technique. The oil treatments are simple but deeply relaxing, creating a sense of peace within the person quite different to most other forms of bodywork.
The amnanda therapist training consists of twelve training days (one day per month over a 12-month period). At each session the trainee therapist observes and receives the Amnanda treatment. From the third session onwards, trainees have the opportunity to practice on each other under the supervision of the Amnanda trainer.
Amnanda Therapist Training
Debono Moves is method of gentle, hands-on movement exercises developed by Mary Debono, for improving flexibility, coordination, and overall movement efficiency in people, horses and dogs. Evolved from Mary's 30 years as a Feldenkrais practitioner, it focuses on subtle, mindful movements and touch to engage the nervous system to improve body awareness and movement patterns. Its benefits include minimising the effects of aging and injury, relieving tension but also nurturing emotional well-being by reducing stress and anxiety. This positive association of improved comfort with touch and movement fosters deeper trust and receptivity to collaboration and connection.
I run workshops in different formats from half day to weekend clinics. We explore these simple exercises with ourselves first, freeing up tight shoulders and hips so you get a direct experience of improved movement through awareness not effort. Next, we apply these movements and sensations to the horses so they too can experience the sense of ease and fluid movement which fosters a feeling of relaxation and connection.
Debono Moves Workshops
Innate Botanical Selections Demo
Witness how animals instinctively select from a choice of essential oils, hydrosols, powders and dried herbs to address their health needs and support their emotional well-being. You will observe their different responses, and the very specific way they choose to interact with the plant energies. You will learn to understand the nuanced ways they show interest, preference or avoidance and their skill in choosing a pathway that meets their needs. You will learn how to offer botanicals according to their actions and offer your animals a choice of healing pathways and how to provide seasonal support.
Masterson Method is also a fantastic way to build trust and develop communication between you and your horse. Just learning a few techniques that can be easily added to your grooming time will make a huge difference for your horse. I run half day demo’s teaching these easy and fun to learn techniques.
Masterson Method Demonstration
These courses are a wonderful opportunity to deepen your bond and help your dog or horse enjoy greater health and happiness. Amnanda is a series of 12 oil treatments over the course of a year. The combination of the oil, specific herbs and touch of the therapist creates a response in the epigenome of the cell. This change at a cellular level trigger healing at a physical level, repairing injury, increasing immunity and overall improvement of metabolism. It also enables a different interpretation of those life experiences increasing the animal’s positivity, confidence, openness to new experiences and ability to learn. Horses and dogs have the same metabolism as us and loving touch triggers production of oxytocin and endorphins and Amnanda increases these feelings of positivity and contentment.
Animals are very attuned to feeling healing energy and are generally very receptive to the loving intention of Amnanda. No previous massage experience is necessary. Amnanda is a very simple technique of applying specific herbal oils in a certain sequence. The quality of our touch and our feelings when we give Amnanda are very important. In each workshop we will share discussions to develop our understanding of horses and dogs and our relationships with them to help develop this therapeutic touch. When we give an Amnanda treatment we develop a feeling of wholehearted love, free of expectations or limitations. Feeling this loving intention creates a healing response in our animals and within ourselves as we create a greater awareness of our kinship with all living beings.
These courses are suitable for owners and professionals wishing to be certified Amnanda practitioners. Please contact me for details.
Equine & Amnanda Courses
I have completed a course with Laura for Amnanda for my senior dog. We both benefited from Laura’s wonderful gentle teachings it changed myself and perspective on how important the communication between our animals and ourselves is. Every healing touch and oil comes from a place of pure healing.If anyone is in doubt don’t be, it’s life changing for you and your animal
— Amanda Barrington