My Story
Meet Coach Kristen
About A Pivotal Shift
You Do Not Have to Carry It All Alone Anymore
There comes a point when pushing through no longer works.
When the weight of responsibility, fear, grief, burnout, or past experiences begins to disconnect you from yourself.
At A Pivotal Shift, I offer a different kind of space.
A space to breathe. To reconnect. To feel seen, supported, and grounded again.
Through trauma-informed, horse-guided experiences, I help women release what no longer serves them and reconnect with their authentic selves — with the steady, honest presence of horses leading the way.
Whether you are navigating life after cancer, healing from trauma, moving through a major life transition, or simply longing to feel like yourself again, you are welcome here.
I am a Gestaltist
Gestalt is the quest for wholeness
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method is:
• Highly Effective
• Trauma informed
• Experiential
• Cultivating self-awareness
• A non-judgemental approach
You are in the right place if …
• You desire to create an inner peace
•You desire a safe space to relieve your fear, anxiety and frustration
• You want to release the burdens you are carrying through life
• You wish to let go of past trauma and move forward with clarity
• You are looking to bring back hope and joy back into your life
Who I Support
My work is especially meaningful for women who are:
- navigating life after cancer or illness
- carrying the emotional weight of caregiving
- healing from trauma or difficult life experiences
- feeling disconnected from themselves
- overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, or burnout
- moving through grief or major life transitions
- seeking deeper self-awareness and authentic connection
- longing for peace, clarity, confidence, and purpose
I also facilitate equine-guided team-building and leadership experiences that foster trust, communication, emotional intelligence, and authentic connection within organizations and groups.
My Approach
My work is rooted in the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® — a trauma-informed, experiential approach that partners with horses to create opportunities for awareness, emotional healing, and lasting transformation.
Sessions may incorporate:
- Equine Gestalt Coaching
- mindfulness and grounding practices
- Reiki energy work
- breathwork
- reflective exercises
- equine yoga experiences
- nervous system regulation techniques
Every experience is guided with compassion, respect, and the understanding that healing is not about fixing yourself — it is about reconnecting with the parts of yourself that may have been silenced, hidden, or forgotten along the way.
Meet Kristen
I’m Kristen Burton — Equine Gestalt Coach, Reiki Master Practitioner, yoga teacher, healthcare leader, and cancer survivor.
For more than 35 years, I worked in healthcare leadership supporting others through stressful, emotional, and often life-changing circumstances. While that work was meaningful, my own journey eventually led me somewhere deeper: toward healing, connection, and the profound wisdom horses offer us when we slow down enough to listen.
In 2020, my life changed dramatically after a breast cancer diagnosis. Like so many women, I found myself trying to stay strong while quietly carrying fear, uncertainty, grief, and exhaustion beneath the surface.
During that season of life, horses became more than companions to me. They became partners in healing.
Their presence taught me about nervous system regulation, authenticity, trust, and what it truly means to be present in the moment. Horses do not judge, rush, or expect perfection. They respond honestly to what is happening beneath the surface, often helping us recognize emotions and patterns we may not even realize we are carrying.
That experience transformed my path.
Today, my work blends the Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®, Reiki, mindfulness, yoga, and trauma-informed practices to create experiences that support emotional healing, self-awareness, empowerment, and personal growth.
My passion is helping women reconnect with themselves in a safe, grounded, and compassionate environment — one where they no longer have to hold everything alone.
Why Horses?
Horses have an incredible ability to meet us exactly where we are.
As highly intuitive and relational beings, horses naturally respond to human emotion, energy, and authenticity. They invite us out of survival mode and into presence. In their company, many people experience a sense of calm, clarity, connection, and emotional release that words alone often cannot reach.
You do not need horse experience to benefit from this work.
The horses are not ridden during most sessions. Instead, they become partners in experiential activities designed to increase awareness, confidence, emotional regulation, and self-trust.
Many clients leave feeling:
- more grounded
- emotionally lighter
- deeply connected
- empowered to move forward
- more compassionate toward themselves
- able to breathe again
The horses simply have a way of helping people come home to themselves.
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method®
The Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® was developed by Melisa Pearce, a core founder since 1989, of the horse-human healing movement. The experiential nature of the method involves the horse as an active partner with the coach in the client’s exploratory process. The integrative approach of the equine’s interaction combined with positive coaching, somatic awareness guidance and Gestalt methodology, assists the client in examining their life and choices made with a focus on designing a positive future.
Equine Gestalt Coaching Method® (EGCM®) is a highly effective, trauma informed, method of healing. Partnering with horses to assist clients with the burdens that have come from past or present experiences or trauma.
%
Agreed they felt better about themselves at the conclusion of the Equine Gestalt Coaching session than at its beginning.”
%
Would participate in this coaching program again.
%
Agreed they felt more hopeful about their future at the conclusion of the Equine Gestalt Coaching session than at its beginning.
Meet the Horses
Our Healing Herd
All Ears aka Elephant
20 year old Draft Cross
All Ears had a great early career in eventing and dressage and is now helping humans create inner peace, clarity and confidence. He has been my “therapist” for years and he is ready to help you.
What you need to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this therapy?
No, I am not a licensed therapist, I am a certified coach.
Is there special attire needed?
Be sure to wear comfortable clothes appropriate for the weather, layers are great, and closed toed shoes.
What if I'm afraid of horses?
My equine partner will be in the company of an experienced handler or in an enclosure alone, there is no riding involved and you are able to stay on the other side of the fence for your comfort.
Stay Updated!
First chance at opportunities and great information!