Transform The Way You Lead
Coaching and Facilitation
Transform The Way You Lead
Coaching and Facilitation
About Lead Inspired
Our Approach
In a world that often feels overwhelming, finding a space where you feel truly safe—seen, heard, and supported—is essential. We all need moments that guide us gently back to ourselves, helping us reconnect with our inner wisdom and deepen our connection to everything around us.
At Lead Inspired, we create nurturing environments that honor your nervous system, your unique path, and your desire to live a life that feels authentically yours. Through one-on-one coaching, group facilitation, and equine-assisted learning, we offer experiences that ground you in the present and invite honest, non-judgmental reflection.
Our Team
Our Horses
Horses, with their intuitive presence, help mirror our emotions and offer profound insights—without words, without judgment. They remind us how to be still, how to listen, and how to lead from within. Here at Lead Inspired, we have two incredible horses, Rhett a 15 year old Oldenburg gelding, and Elfie, a 25 year old Trakehner mare. Our horses can be powerful partners in facilitating embodied, experiential learning bringing greater self-awareness and team connection.
Rachel Alves
With over a decade of experience in healthcare, Rachel served in numerous leadership roles, including as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Deeply committed to community and organizational wellbeing, she brings a unique blend of operational excellence and human-centered leadership. Certified as an Executive Coach through an ICF Accredited Program, and trained in Lean methodologies, she has successfully led strategic and process improvement initiatives while fostering leadership and team development. With specialized training through the Polyvagal Institute and the Polyvagal Equine Institute, Rachel integrates nervous system awareness into her approach—supporting more regulated, resilient teams and trauma-informed systems of care.
Equine Assisted Coaching
Why We Partner with Horses
Horses offer a powerful and honest mirror for human behavior. As highly intuitive animals, they respond to our energy, emotions, and nonverbal cues, providing immediate and authentic feedback. Unlike traditional team-building settings, working with horses invites participants to slow down, become present, and communicate with clarity and intention. Because horses naturally seek calm, confident, and consistent leadership, they help individuals and teams develop greater self-awareness, empathy, and connection. The lessons learned through these interactions translate directly to life and the workplace.
Engaging in team building within a unique and unfamiliar environment encourages individuals to step outside their usual roles and routines. The horses’ honest and immediate feedback helps teams recognize patterns, adapt in real time, and build trust. This shift in perspective fosters openness, creativity, and authentic collaboration, strengthening accountability and cohesiveness within the team.
Ultimately, we use horses because they reveal the unseen. They help people recognize how their energy and behavior affect those around them, creating opportunities for growth that are both profound and practical. The lessons learned in the arena—about trust, respect, and authentic connection—extend far beyond the barn, strengthening how individuals and teams relate, lead, and thrive together.
How It Works
Through hands-on, experiential learning, individuals and teams' partner with horses in a variety of interactive exercises. These activities involve observing and communicating with our equine partners. Through these observations, reflection, and discussion, participants gain insights into their strengths and opportunities for growth.
This experience can be utilized as a single or multiple day offsite or integrated into a more robust team development package that includes facilitation/coaching within the workplace. Programs are customized based on the individuals or team's needs.