profile

Hi! I'm Alane Freund.

Are you highly sensitive? Check out the resources I offer below and sign up for my newsletter!

A horse take a bit of a meyer lemon on the summer solstice altar at Heart and Mind Equine
Featured Post

OPEN Barn this evening at Heart & Mind Equine

Dear Reader, Maybe you joined the herd last month or perhaps it's been years, but you are forever a member of our herd. We hope you will join us in person or in spirit for our summer open barn at the Heart & Mind Equine vacation pasture this evening. Thursday, July 9, 6pm Heart & Mind Equine Open HouseFor those of you in the SF Bay Area, we have a few spots left in our summer self-compassion group. It meets Thursday Evenings in July and August (no group 7/30). Coming Home to Yourself: A...

Dear Reader, Why Pulling Away from What Is Hard Always Makes It Worse | Pema Chödrön Did you have a chance to check out this short interview with Pema Chödrön? When my life was falling apart (again) in 2004, my therapist referred me to Pema's book, When Things Fall Apart. It was truly eye-opening to me... and counterintuitive. It's a lesson I get to learn over and over again: Pulling away from what is hard makes it worse. I was raised with "When the going gets tough, the tough get going...

Beautiful horses running together at Heart and Mind Equine

Dear Reader, Big things have been happening at Heart & Mind Equine. I'm sending this to everyone so you can see some beautiful photos of our rescue herd. They are the most amazing colleagues! If you would like more of this content, please reply with the word HORSE so we add you to the horse email list. Speaking Horse Summer: Grow, Shine, AlignJune 28 - Purchase tickets HERE. Full Moon Solstice Gathering at the BarnJune 29 - Purchase tickets HERE. Coming Home to Yourself: A 6-week...

Dear Reader, Are you resilient? You may say, "Up until now, I haven't been so resilient..." Or maybe, "Are you kidding? I'm so sensitive and anxious that I'm incapable of being resilient."Perhaps, "I have not found resilience to come easily, yet."and, sometimes, "Darn right! I am a resilient person."In this pre-recorded class with my special guest, the gifted therapist and teacher, Linda Graham, we explored the intersection of sensitivity and resilience. Linda offers many wonderful tools and...

boy with grandfather fishing

Dear Reader, Dads are EVERYTHING. I am sending all dads my love and gratitude. Are you a father? If so, please come as my guest. If you're not a member of our community, please use the coupon code: DADDY Also welcome, those: Challenged by childhood experiences with fathering Co-parenting with fathers Missing your father Loving and supporting fathers Dear Dads (and my Dad),You are so important.You are our Redwood trees. The life, the strength, the unwavering when needed, the flexibility at the...

Child spreading arms on a giant Coastal Redwood tree. Text: Redwood Tree Dads: Fathers Make the Difference with Alane Freund, LMFT

Dear Reader, I hope you will join us on Saturday, June 13, 9am PDT, Noon EDT, to celebrate, grieve, honor, explore, and understand fatherhood, including the fathers we had, those we know, and for dads to honor themselves and the gifts they bring to our world. Dads do make the difference in a child’s life. Do you remember your father? Was he set on toughening you up? Maybe he was a little harsh, but he wanted you to be safe in the world. Some dads weren’t around much, leaving most of the...

Two elderwomen enjoying connection. Text: Over 55? Wise Women & Wonder happening June 6th

and social dancing... I long for health, love, community, compassion, well-being, and social dancing... Since social dancing has been demonstrated to be one of the best tools for supporting long-term cognitive health, I had to add it. Perhaps the longing I know best is that of ease and grace as I grow, age, and navigate the challenges of life. Just like me, I wish these things for you. Pema Chodron's teachings on aging will begin our conversation at Wise Women & Wonder this month but the...

Hesitant child on the diving board at a public pool

Dear Reader, You are invited to my Office Hours and Community Conversation on this very topic TOMORROW, June 2nd, 10am PDT | 1pm EDT. I'd LOVE to see you there. If you are not a community member, please register at this link... or if you need a scholarship rate, reply to this email. Your Zoom link will be sent by email. Many of you have replied with your own stories of your High Dive Moments, and I thank you. I look forward to a deep discussion tomorrow. Bring your questions as well as your...

child on high diving board at public pool

Dear Reader, I wrote this blog to explore how fear, or the perception of fear, impacts so many of us. But first, please let me share that I'm hosting an upcoming Office Hours and Community Conversation on this very topic on Tuesday, June 3rd, 10am PDT | 1pm EDT. I'd LOVE to see you there. If you are not a community member, please reply to this email for the link to register. Fear looms large in the lives of many highly sensitive people, young and old. It turns out we can slide into fear...

Dear Reader, Horses & Healers: Equine Experiential Methods for Strengthening Clinical Presence Novato, California — May 30th — Horses & Healers: Equine Experiential Methods for Strengthening Clinical Presence will take place on May 30th from 9:30am to 3:30pm in Novato, California, hosted by Heart & Mind Equine. This in-person workshop is designed for medical, mental health, and holistic professionals seeking to strengthen clinical presence through experiential learning with horses. If you...