After a sold-out experience in 2025, a powerful and immersive wellness event returns to Susanna Farms this spring, offering participants a rare opportunity to reconnect with themselves through nature, horses and energy healing.

“Healing with Horses: Cultivating Inner Peace Through Reiki, Nature, and Reflection” will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 30, led by Denise Maple of Live Life Spiritual Direction and Laura Heffernan of Susanna Farms.

Maple and Heffernan have known each other since high school and have always enjoyed collaborating – from the basketball team at Antioch Community High School to offering wellness programs at Susanna Farms.

Set against the peaceful backdrop of one of northern Illinois’ top working therapeutic and equestrian centers, the event blends time with horses, Reiki, meditation, and intentional reflection into a guided afternoon experience designed to support emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

“So many people today are moving through life in a constant state of doing,” Maple said in a news release. “This experience is an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and truly feel what inner peace is like—and to recognize that when we cultivate peace within, it naturally extends into how we live, lead, and relate to others.”

A growing movement

As more individuals and organizations seek meaningful ways to manage stress and reconnect, experiential wellness offerings — especially those involving animals and nature — are gaining traction. Horses are known for their ability to mirror human energy and create a calming, nonjudgmental space for self-awareness and healing.

At Susanna Farms, equine-assisted experiences are part of a broader mission to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being through connection — with animals, nature and self.

“Horses have an incredible way of meeting people exactly where they are, without judgment,” Heffernan said in the release. “When people spend time with them in a mindful way, it opens the door to a deeper sense of grounding, connection, and calm that’s often hard to access in everyday life.”

What participants can expect

The afternoon is intentionally designed as a journey:

• Welcome & Farm Tour (3 to 3:30 p.m.): Participants will be introduced to the farm and guided through the connection between inner peace and how it influences the world around us.

• Rotating Experiences (3:30–5:30 p.m.): Guests will rotate through three immersive 40-minute sessions: Reiki and guided meditation with Denise Maple in the arena alongside horses; grounding meditation and hands-on connection with horses in the barn with Laura Heffernan; and personal reflection time with guided journaling prompts and access to the farm’s peaceful natural setting

• Closing Circle (5:30 to 6:00 p.m.): A group discussion to integrate the experience and reconnect with personal intentions.

Organizers also note that customized versions of this experience are available for corporate teams and organizations, offering a unique approach to employee well-being, stress reduction and team connection.

Space is limited. Early registration is encouraged.

For information or to register, visit livelifespiritual.com/events/healing-with-horses.