BEYOND DONKEY CUDDLING
In the Company of Donkeys, Something Softens
For many people, simply stepping into the quiet presence of a donkey creates an immediate shift: the body softens, the breath deepens, and something inside settles. This isn’t a technique or a performance. It’s co-regulation—the natural way nervous systems attune to one another.
At Campbell’s Lane Farm, we partner with donkeys to offer a different kind of nervous-system support. Their grounded presence, emotional honesty, and slow, steady pacing create a field where your whole system is invited to unwind and remember what “okay” feels like again.
This Might Be for You If...
You may be drawn to donkey-guided work if you:
-
feel stressed, overwhelmed, or “on” all the time
-
are highly attuned to others and have trouble resting
-
are curious about somatic or body-based healing
-
feel safer with animals than with people
-
long for a gentler, more grounded way to reconnect with yourself
This work can support personal growth, emotional regulation, integration alongside therapy, and leadership or caregiving roles where your own nervous system is often holding a lot.
You don’t need any experience with animals. We’ll orient you gently and always honor both your boundaries and the donkeys’.
Why Donkeys Are Such Powerful
Regulators
Unlike humans, who often mask, manage, or override their emotions, donkeys are exquisitely congruent. How they feel on the inside is what you see on the outside. Their communication is simple and honest: posture, breath, ears, eyes, pacing.
In the presence of a donkey, many people naturally begin to:
-
breathe more deeply
-
let their shoulders drop
-
slow their thoughts and movements
-
feel a sense of being met, rather than judged
Donkeys don’t ask you to be different. They simply invite you into their steady rhythm.
A Gentle Look at the Science
Our nervous systems are wired for connection. Through systems often described as mirror neurons and somatic resonance, our bodies pick up on the cues of the beings around us and quietly begin to match them.
When we spend time around anxiety, urgency, or conflict, our bodies often mirror that.
When we spend time around grounded, coherent presence, we can mirror that, too.
For many people who are stressed, overwhelmed, or carrying old experiences, it can be hard to find truly regulated human environments. Donkeys offer something different:
-
clear, honest signals
-
no emotional performance
-
no pressure to explain or “fix” anything
-
a naturally slower pace
You don’t need to understand the neuroscience for your body to benefit. Your system feels the truth in the donkey’s body—and responds.
What Happens in a Session
Every session is a little different, but all are held with care, respect, and choice.
A session may include:
-
quietly standing or sitting near a donkey
-
brushing or gentle touch (if the donkey and you both want that)
-
walking with a donkey at a relaxed pace
-
guided reflection or simple invitations to notice your breath, body, and feelings
Often, people notice:
-
tension melting from their shoulders and jaw
-
a deeper, easier breath
-
a sense of being “seen” without needing to explain anything
-
insight or clarity arising without effort
You are not required to talk about your story. You are welcome to, but the primary focus is on your nervous system, your body, and the coherent field we create together with the donkeys.
Ready to experience co-regulation with donkeys?
If something in you relaxes just reading this, you’re not imagining it. Your nervous system already knows what it longs for: grounded, honest presence and a chance to breathe.
Donkeys offer that in the simplest, most direct way.
Complete the Request Form above