FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

About Animal Communication

Q: What is Animal Communication?
A: Animal Communication is the ability we all have to make a connection with an animal telepathically. The way in which we communicate is transmitted mainly through images, feelings, thoughts and physical sensations.

Q: How do I know I am communicating with an animal and that I’m not making it up?

A: That is a question I hear a lot, and it’s an important question to ask. The answer: Time, practice, validation and trust are the key elements to knowing the difference between genuine and made up communication. You will know when the communication is genuine when you receive validation from the people whose animals with which you are communicating.

Q: How can Animal Communication help me and my animal?

A: Animal Communication will enhance your relationship with all animals including your own. Just think what it feels like when someone really wants to engage in conversation with you and wants to know who you are; your needs, wants, and desires. It is the same for animals. Just the introduction of talking aloud with your animals, giving them information about what’s going on in the family and how they will be affected can make a huge difference in your relationship. Animals become more relaxed, less anxious or stressed and the effect on your relationship with your animal companions will be life-changing for both of you.

Q: When I leave your workshop will I be able to communicate with my animal?

A: Yes, you will, however, practicing with animals you don’t know will build your confidence as you can get validation of your communication from the animal’s caregiver.

Q: Will I be able to communicate with all animals or just mine?

A: In the beginning of your Animal Communication journey, practicing with animals you don’t know is essential so that the animal’s caregiver can validate information for you. In fact, many participants say it is easier to talk to other’s animals as most of us know our animals so well, we may not know for sure whether the information we receive is coming from our animal or from what we already know. In time, you will be able to identify genuine communication and will be able to confidently communicate with your animal as well as others.

Q: Will I be able to communicate telepathically with humans as well?

A: We all have the ability to communicate with animals as well as people telepathically. Those individuals who are open and sensitive usually communicate telepathically with animals and people; however, many people don’t know they are doing it. For example, say you are at work in the morning and your friend passes your desk and you ask her how she is. Your friend politely responds and says that she is fine, but you are left with that funny feeling in the pit of your stomach that something is wrong. Later that day, the two of you meet again and your friend tells you that she is in fact not okay but she just didn’t want to talk about it at that time. This is an example of telepathic communication through feelings. Things like this happen all day long with us, but at times we tend to ignore our intuition.

Q: Do animals lie?

A: On occasion they play with the truth to suit their own needs. As an example, when students gathered around my horse during a workshop, they asked him his age. Everyone received the same answer from him: He said he was five years old. Tallanny was in fact twenty-three at the time. I was quite astounded that he would tell people he was five.

To help me understand his aversion to speaking the truth, he explained that if he said he was twenty-three, people would ask how long a horse lives. After learning that the average life span is in the late twenties, the students would feel melancholy, assuming that he was near the end of his life. The whole mood and energy of the workshop would change, and not in his favor. Therefore, in order to keep everyone cheerful and positive around him, Tallanny said he’s only five years old. When people hear that, they think he’s just a baby and emit feelings that are fun, loving, and joyful. He deliberately chooses to communicate this so he gets a favorable response rather than a negative one.

About the Workshops

Q: Are your workshops hands-on?

A: Absolutely! Although we don’t touch the animals, the workshops are experiential. On day one of the Introductory Animal Communication Workshop, for example, we prepare in the morning by doing a series of exercises. We are then ready for an afternoon of practicing our skills by communicating with three animals. On day two, we spend the majority of the time learning how to communicate from a distance. At the end of the Introductory Animal Communication Workshop each student will have connected with at least six animals. Additionally, everyone receives the assistance they need should they experience any difficulty or blockages.

Q:Can I receive continuing education credits for attending your workshop?

A: We do not offer CEU’s at this time; however, we encourage you to contact the organization in which you wish to apply the contact hours. On occasion, organizations will accept contact hours from The Gurney Institute of Animal Communication Workshop towards their continuing education requirement. Individuals using the contact hours from a Gurney Institute of Animal Communication Workshop to meet another organization’s qualification requirements are asked to request The Gurney Institute of Animal Communication to supply a certificate of attendance.

Q: Do I need to bring my animal(s) to the class? Can I bring them?

A: All you need to bring is your intimate knowledge of your own animal(s) and the desire to talk with and about them. There will be three animals available to communicate with on day one of the workshop. And we will work with photos of animals on day two requiring you to only bring photos of your animals for the second day. For the safety of the animals and humans alike no outside animals are permitted to attend the workshop.

About the “Through the Eyes of Your Animal: Learn the Lessons of Love” Workshop

Q: What kind of things would my animal say about me, and how good must my Animal Communication skills be to do this? How will I find out what my animal thinks about me…will I communicate with them, or does Carol do this?

A: Don’t worry. Your animal companion won’t reveal any deep dark secrets. In this workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to talk about your animal(s) instead of having them talk about you! Although, no Animal Communication takes place, you will instead, have the opportunity to reflect on your animal’s behavior and your relationship, and uncover the lessons your animals want you to hear and learn. All you need is an awareness of your animal’s behavior and interactions with you…and a willingness to talk about them.

Q: I have a few personal things I’d rather not talk about – is that OK?

A: You will never be pushed to discuss anything you wish to keep to yourself. You will however, find the more you are willing to bring out and examine, the greater benefit you will receive from the workshop and the more your relationship with your animal companion be enhanced.

Q: Will everyone attending hear what my animal has to say?

A: Everyone in the workshop will hear what you want to share about your relationship with your animal, just as you will hear about other participants’ interactions with their animals. You are always in control of what and how much you share. This process allows you to not only benefit from the lessons your animals have for you, but you will also learn a lot as you help the others discover the lessons their animals have for them. The workshop creates a sharing and cooperative environment that provides caring support for you; and you, in turn, provide this same support to the other workshop participants.

Q: How can my animal know anything about how I feel and what has happened in my life?

A: One of the lessons many participants learn is how deeply our animals care for us, and how tightly their lives are entwined with ours. Animals are feeling creatures, and are attuned on many levels to their companion’s emotions. They may not know the specifics of incidents that have occurred in their people’s lives, but they do know how we have been affected and can often gently nudge us toward changes that can help us rebalance and refocus.

About the Body Balancing Workshop

Q: What is Body Balancing?

A: Body Balancing is the ability to learn several evaluative techniques to discover how your animal’s body is feeling. You will first learn to palpate the body of an animal to locate areas of tension and stress. Next you will learn how to use your hands to access whether the energy is flowing in the body or where it might be blocked. Finally, you will learn muscle-testing techniques which help us see what part of the body might be blocked. Once we evaluate the animal’s body, we then know where we need to work.

During the workshop, you will also learn specific hand movements to relieve areas of tension and how to rebalance the body through the use of energy work.

What’s wonderful about this work is that we have the ability to know how their emotions affect their bodies. During this workshop, you will learn the location of animals’ energy centers (known as chakras).

For example you may evaluate a dog’s body and you find that the center at the mid back is blocked. This is the center that relates to an animal feeling dominated and controlled. This animal might be dealing with a new dog that has come into the family and who is trying to dominate him. So we deal with the source of the stress and remedy this telepathically with each of the animals as well as balancing the chakra energetically.

Q: Is this workshop hands-on?

A: Absolutely. You will be learning and practicing hands-on healing techniques on a human partner before moving on to working with the animals. We want you to experience the work yourself so you know how it is done correctly. Then you will be working with horses, and dogs and cats. This workshop will empower you and you will leave with a lot of new “tools” that you can choose from in your tool kit.

About the Death and Dying Workshop

Q: Will I be doing any Animal Communication during this workshop? If so, how good must my skills be to participate?

A: We will communicate with animals that have passed on using photos of the workshop participants’ animals. The skills learned in the Introductory Animal Communication Workshop (a prerequisite to this workshop) will give you the knowledge base to understand and participate.

Q: Will we cover what medical assistance we can give our animals when their health is failing?

A: Animal Communication should never be used as a substitute for professional veterinary care. A licensed veterinarian should always be consulted when an animal is ill, failing or any medical assistance is needed. Information obtained from an animal during communication can be provided to a veterinarian to assist him/her. Some questions that may be helpful to provide the veterinarian may be what level of pain the animal is in or where and how the animal feels when taking medicine, how the animal feels physically, and if the animal is ready to pass on.

Q: How can I communicate with animals who have passed on? Can this really be done?

A: Yes, it can be done using the same techniques used with animals still in their physical bodies. Many people find it even easier to communicate with animals who have passed on as the animals do not have the distractions which can be present when they are still in their physical bodies.

Q: I have a very strong religious faith and have some concern this workshop will discourage my beliefs…is it OK to come? or I do not have very strong religious beliefs, and have some concern there might be a lot of discussion and “push” to change my beliefs…how is this handled?

A: During the workshop, participants are encouraged to express their beliefs concerning dying and death of animals without judgment or discussion about what is “right” or “wrong.” Ideas are freely spoken, and no one will be asked to neither change their opinion nor agree upon “one” answer.

Q: I am still mourning an animal I lost years ago…how can this help when it’s been so long since I lost her?

A: Time does not impact our ability to obtain closure with animals who have passed on.

Q: I am afraid I made the wrong decision about the end of my animal’s life...what if he is angry with me, or tells me he suffered terribly?

A: Many of us feel lingering guilt over the end of a beloved animal’s life, and ask ourselves repeatedly: “Did I do the right thing?” In this workshop, you will gain a better understanding of how animals view death and dying, and how their depth of love enables them to accept our decisions and receive the final acts of caring and love we give them.

About the Program

Q: What sets your program apart from other Animal Communicators?

A: The Gurney Institute of Animal Communication’s 300+ hour HeartTalk Program® Certification Training was developed over a 22-year period and is the only comprehensive certification program in existence in the field of Animal Communication. The teachings are authentic by Carol Gurney and The Gurney Institute of Animal Communication and are not combined with any other healing modality. The HeartTalk Program® Certification Training has been structured to provide the most thorough educational plan and is dedicated to prepare you for the true role of an Animal Communicator.

Q: At what point will I become credentialed through this program?

A: A student may become fully credentialed to practice Animal Communication when they have successfully completed the requirements of The HeartTalk Program® Certification Training.

Q: How quickly can I complete The HeartTalk Program® Certification Training?

A: Most Certified Animal Communicators have completed The HeartTalk Program® Certification Trainingin 1 ½ years to 2 years. Each student can work at their own pace towards completion and ultimately, certification.

About a Business

Q: When can I start a business as an Animal Communicator?

A: A student may start an Animal Communication business after becoming certified through The HeartTalk Program® Certification Training.

Q: How quickly can I charge for my Animal Communication services?

A: When a student has successfully completed Level 3 of The HeartTalk Program® Certification Training, the student may then ask for a donation for their services. Only when a student becomes certified, can fees be charged.

Q: What support system do you have established to support Certified Animal Communicators?

A: Your training with Carol doesn’t end on the day that you receive your certification. Having prepared you to become a professional Animal Communicator, Carol Gurney is invested in your future and wants to do whatever she can to help you develop your ongoing practice and to manage cases that you might find to be particularly challenging. Upon request, she will review difficult consultations with her characteristic clarity and compassion, in an effort to enhance your proficiency and dispel self-doubts.

Additionally, Carol Gurney is available to provide counseling on a one-on-one basis and offers monthly teleconference calls for students in the training program.

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