We're honored to share our work with Extraordinary clients
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TrueCar
Solugen
Meta
Army
St Mary's College
Sutter Health
P&G
Abbot
boehringer ingelheim
BEan in Nature
BETH ANSTANDIG
Head Cowgirl, Owner
It’s time to wake up your true self.
We are human animals but we are cut off from the natural signals of our animal bodies. We are ruled by thought, language, ego, and story. As adults, we have learned to put our mammal bodies to sleep.
When we learn to listen to our inner world and its signals, we are alive and attuned to the depth and texture of our lives. We wake up a fundamental part of our hard-wiring that transforms our ability to shape our relationships. We call this our Natural Leadership, and though it may be hidden or forgotten, it is never lost.
At The Circle Up Experience, you awaken your Natural Leadership so you can navigate the world, take hold of your most genuine desires, and build authentic connections.
Our Offerings
Retreats, Courses, and Coaching for Human Herds
Choose your experience
Custom Business Retreats
1-3 DAY CUSTOM EXPERIENCES
Escape the office and get to know your human herd by spending 1-3 days at one of our Circle Up locations, or our team will come to a special location closer to you.
Teams will strengthen current relationships, welcome new members, and increase their awareness of each other’s strengths when they engage with our horses and experience the nature-based activities we offer.
Our workshops may also feature sheep, dogs, falconry, meditation, art, writing, movement, and mindful hiking. You don’t have to be interested in animals or know much about them to have a profound transformation.
“Circle Up gathered together our group and turned us into a team! The Circle Up team (humans and horses) took our newly re-configured group—made up of people from three different countries—and gave us the opportunity to get to know each other in a completely unique way. We have been able to stay connected despite geography and to continuously develop and respect our soft skills."
LAUREN PFEIFFER, ADOBE INC.
Retreats
for all people, great and small
We host exceptional retreats at our unique Circle Up locations. Our retreats focus on personal leadership, relationships, and spiritual development. The retreat experience offers the space and time to pause from everyday life for reflection.
P.S. If you have an idea for a retreat or a group of people who want a meaningful experience together, we can help you design a gathering that meets your needs. Plan your retreat with us...
"Getting real-time feedback is a rare gift, and yet it's the biggest opportunity to learn about ourselves and grow. Circle Up’s program delivers just that, through the eyes of a partner who acts with total honesty and vulnerability, and without their own ego or agenda — the perfect mirror: a horse. My experience was simply incredible and has made a huge impact on me. I highly recommend it to anyone.”
AMY J., GOOGLE WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP FORUM
Coaching
FOR INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS & INSTITUTIONS
Create a culture for the people you care about by stepping into your Natural Leadership.
Each year, we take a select number of clients for individual, executive or group coaching programs, including a limited number of large institutions for customized programs.
As coaches, we’re not afraid to ask tough questions. We pick up on core themes and issues quickly and know exactly when to be gentle and when to push. The transferable skills we teach will help you support, develop, and mentor colleagues and peers.
"What Circle Up offers is different from other team-building exercises, and is also based on the way a horse lives and works. No conference rooms. No binders. No powerpoint slides. No blah blah blah.”
FORBES MAGAZINE
Courses
For Aspiring Leaders
If you are already a leader for your herd, our courses help you step into your role with confidence and power.
Courses are offered through our online learning platform so they are accessible anytime, anywhere. They often include group coaching calls and private discussion groups.
Our integrative model teaches basic concepts about human nature through the lenses of psychology, animal behavior, interpersonal neuroscience, and meditation.
There is nothing quite like having the privilege of working through one-on-one executive coaching with Beth Anstandig. She wastes no time assessing a person’s needs and crafting an organic experience. There is an immense opportunity for personal and professional growth for anyone who chooses to embrace it.
VICTORIA CONKLIN, VICE PRESIDENT – LENDING, AMERICAN AGCREDIT
Latest News
Posts about Relationships and leadership
The Grandiosity Trap: Why We Choose the Impossible
We’re inspired to choose the road less traveled and we think it’s what will make us heroic and extraordinary. But have you ever noticed how much trouble we get into along the way? One of my favorite things to do is wander around on horseback with no particular goal. It’s not something that humans do…
Read More
I Made a Bad Hire
Dear Sally, I need some help! Last year I was promoted to a senior level in my organization. As part of my promotion, I was tasked with creating a new department and hiring someone to lead it. The stakes were high, and I vetted the candidates carefully. I hired someone who came highly recommended, who…
Read More
Human Whispering: The Art of Shutting Up
I spend a lot of time with horses and dogs, and my family will insist I acknowledge here, I’ve also become a crazy cat lady in the last couple years. I love this life with animals because they help me see myself as a human animal. And seeing myself as a human animal shifts how…
Read More
Running-in-Circles-Getting-Nowhere
Dear Sally, I’ve been trying to lead my horses around the round pen and get them to run. I ask them, show them, describe to them why they need to follow me, offer help, and hold them accountable. But still, they won’t do what I ask. It may be that they are distracted by requests…
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Betrayed and Annoyed
Dear Sally, I found out today from one of the people on my team that another team member had basically been telling people that I was a bad manager, though I wasn’t given specific details. She hadn’t brought any feedback to me directly, and I actually thought we had a pretty good relationship. Ironically, she’s…
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Loves-a-Good-Crisis
Dear Sally, Lately I’ve been wondering why I like to do everything at the last minute. There’s a bit of a rush about it. And for a long time in my life it was actually something I was super proud of. When the chips were down, I could always pull out a win. I spent…
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The Book We Need Now
Part guidebook, part manifesto, part wake-up call, The Human Herd: Awakening Our Natural Leadership offers a framework for living, relating, and leading a more empowered life.
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