Kim Shotola

The Lightfoot Way

THE LIGHTFOOT WAY MISSION & PHILOSOPHY

The Lightfoot Way is proud to be in the process of becoming a nonprofit organization.

Our mission is to enhance the well being of families, animals, professionals and individuals by sharing knowledge and providing support for the body, mind and spirit.

The Lightfoot Way offers services to families, professionals and individuals with the goal to help achieve happier, healthier, and longer lives. Holistic care is a wonderful complement to traditional health care. By taking a natural approach, people and animals are cared for as a whole - on a mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual level. Through our educational workshops, consultations and products, you will gain the knowledge to change your life. Our goal is to receive funding so that we can expand our services to reach more people and organizations in need.

MEET KIM SHOTOLA, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LIGHTFOOT WAY

On The Farm
Kim has had a special place in her heart for animals since her childhood. Today, she and her family enjoy sharing their farm with their three adopted, their cat that was adopted as an orphan, a guniea pig, chinchilla, and white doves and koi fish. In addition, the farm is home to two dwarf Zebu cattle and their occasional calves, a breed from India, and two Andalusian horses. Kim has lovingly cared for her 19 year old mare, Tara, pictured above, since she was a yearling. Kim said good-bye to Bandit (pictured below), their 16 year old dog, in April 2008. They adopted him from the SPCA when he was about a year old. A gentle spirit and wonderful teacher, he assisted with Kim's animal communication, massage, and reiki workshops.

Working with Animals
In addition to having animals on her farm, Kim has worked with animals at the Houston Zoo since 1991. During her tenure at the zoo, she has helped manage the care of over 1,000 domestic, livestock, wildlife, and exotic animals in the Children's Zoo. Over the years, she has had the opportunity to work with over 100 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates and is familiar with their health and behavioral issues. Click here for a full list.

Kim is a holistic animal care instructor and consultant and has a private practice that is not affiliated with the zoo. Kim offers clients a wide range of educational programs as well as holistic services for animals. Along with her own practice, Kim worked with Dr. Marcia DuBois Martin, a holistic veterinarian in Houston, Texas, until she relocated to Florida in 2007.

Education
Kim studied animal communication with professional animal communicators Diane Samsel, Kathleen Berard, and Leta Worthington, as well as with Philip Toledo, a Tibetan shaman.

She is a reiki master/teacher (RMT) and studied with Angeni Brandow.

Kim received her equine massage practitioner certification (CEMP) from the Western Montana School of Equine Massage and her canine massage practitioner training from Companion Animal Massage in Texas.

In pursuit of better care and knowledge of her horses' hooves, Kim studied natural hoof care with Martha Olivo, one of the top barefoot hoof trimmers and educators in the world, and became a certified hoof groom. She trims her own horses' hooves.

She attended the certified herbalist course taught by Donna Fry, ND (naturopathic doctor) which focused on herbs and aromatherapy. She is pursuing additional studies in aromatherapy with Gritman Essential Oils.

Kim studied Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) with Helen Racz, a professional EFT practitioner.

She also attended the certified intuitive angel guide course taught by Kathleen Elmore, CSC, who studied with Doreen Virtue.

Kim is a member of the International Alliance for Animal Therapy and Healing (IAATH), the International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP), the Animal Wellness Association (AWA), and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), and is listed in Penelope Smith’s animal communication directory.

Personal Inspiration
Kim was inspired at an early age by her grandmother. Kim says, “My website is dedicated to the memory of my grandmother Carrie. She loved animals and used to bring me to the zoo frequently when I was a child.”

Carrie often quoted a poem by American poet, Edwin Markham: There is a destiny that makes us brothers,
None goes his way alone.
All that we send into the life of others,
Comes back into our own.

The Lightfoot Way has a special meaning for Kim. She is drawn to the Native American culture and feels everyone should tread lightly on this earth and have respect for all living creatures. When we give to others, we are truly blessed.

Kim derives personal inspiration in her work from her connection with St. Francis. She says, “I feel blessed to have St. Francis as my spirit guide. He came to me in a meditation I was doing about animal communication. He helps me communicate with the animals. Of course, he’s the patron saint of animals and his presence in my work is very special to me.” Angels are also very important to Kim and help her in her practice, caring for animals heart and soul.

Kim believes animals are windows to our souls and doorways to our spiritual destinies. If you will let them into your life and allow them to teach you, you will be better for it.

May we all tread lightly, respect all living beings, and care for animals heart and soul.

Blessings to you and the animals you love.

MEET ALLISON CULVER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Allison has had animals all her life and after losing cats to a common disease, she sought natural methods that could improve the lives of her animals. Her strong desire to get back to nature led her on the path of nutrition and holistic techniques, including the wonderful innate energy that keeps the positive flow soaring and reaches her heart and soul! She shares her life with two dogs and two cats, all adopted.

Allison has studied with Kim and is a holistic care instructor and consultant. Her charming and enthusiastic personality is obvious in workshops, consultations, and the free healing sessions. It brings Allison great joy to be able to educate and assist people and animals, whether in a workshop or one on one. It is important to her for people to realize that everyone can do everything we teach!

In addition to discovering the holistic side of life, Allison has been doing canine freestyle with her dog Bob (pictured above) since 2007 and has performed many demos at nursing homes, grand openings, parties and events including the Houston Reliant Dog Show, and was featured in the Houston Pet Talk magazine. She studies under Emily Pyle and is a member of the Musical Dog Sport Association. In addition to freestyle, Allison served on the Board of Directors for HOPE (Homeless and Orphaned Pet Endeavor) as the Volunteer Director and helps to socialize and work with the foster dogs. For years she has been providing weekly care to HOPE cats that live at Petco while they are waiting for a loving home. She has been involved in the coalition for the No Kill Houston organization to make animal shelters a safe haven for all animals without the fear of euthanasia.

MEET INSTRUCTOR, FAITH HARRISON

Faith has felt an intimate closeness to animals and nature all of her life. Growing up on the shores of Lake Ontario, she fondly remembers spending hours every year trying to save monarch butterflies from their immenent death as they migrated across the great lake. She made sugar water and did her best to revive the exhausted insects. As a teen, she became a reflexologist for people and her ability for healing included people.

Faith believes in a holistic approach to healing. Bringing awareness to all 4 realms of the human existence assists people and animals in self healing. She has over 30 years experience as a certified reflexologist. She is also a practitioner of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), reiki, advanced animal communication, certified Nia blue belt teacher and Psyche-K. She works with healing stones, aura colors, animal spirit guides (totems) and aromatherapy. She also enjoys chi kung, yoga and a variety of dance modalities. Faith has an extensive education in metaphsyical studies, having attended workshops and seminars with such minds as Masaru Emoto, Joseph Rael (Beautiful Painted Arrow), Bruce Lipton, Gregg Braden, Pamala Oslie and Stansilov Grof to name a few.

Her spiritual journeys have taken her to many lands including Israel to participate in the John the Baptist Cave dig, Kauai to kayak up the Waimea River and explore the Wailua waterfalls, Costa Rica to dance in a temple, Montana to explore the beauty of Yellowstone and Glacier, sacred ceremonies in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Niagara Falls, and to the labyrinths of Tintagel in Cornwall, England. Faith has 2 children and takes care of 11 pets. She is rooted in the belief system of the four allies "speak impeccably, do not assume, do not take anything personally, and always do your best!"