EQUINE CONNECTIONS
Trained and compassionate equine specialists help children and caregivers navigate difficult emotional challenges through meaningful connections with horses.
Our equine programs are designed to foster empathy, communication, and trust. Horses have the remarkable ability to be present in the moment. They respond to what is happening around them without judgement or attachment. They can be a mirror for human emotions, energy and behavior. This allows our participants to learn more about mindfulness, being present and connecting with others.
Equine assisted activities have been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, enhance empathy and emotional intelligence, improve communication skills, increase confidence and self-esteem.
ART & MOVEMENT
Children facing grief, mental or physical difficulties, process their experience through hands-on art and movement in a playful, nurturing environment.
Movement Programs:
(IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RIVERBEND GRIEF & MOVEMENT THERAPY)
The American Dance Therapy Association defines Dance Movement Therapy as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual for the purpose of improving health and wellbeing”.
Participants are able to release feelings stored in the body that are no longer serving them through movement and breath.
Art Making Programs:
(ALOHA ART WORKS)
Creating art supports appropriate risk-taking, emotional expression, healthy attachment, creative exploration, and use of coping skills.
Through art, individuals learn to be present with their experiences in the moment rather than focused on achieving a particular outcome.
MINDFUL GARDENING
(STABLE BLOOMS)
The Ohana Stable Blooms Horticulture programs use plants and gardening as the basis for improving mental and physical health.
Therapeutic gardening activities are designed specifically to promote people-plant interaction with the healing properties of nature.
Being outdoors, engaged in physical activities, provides us with a sense of meaning and place and focuses us on the here-and-now through the full use of our five senses.
OHANA ALLIES PROGRAMS:
The Ohana Allies (OA) program is designed for youth who are struggling with difficult life circumstances including grief, low self-esteem, and social/family issues. Most of the youth have been diagnosed and stabilized before being referred to our programming that supports their mental wellness goals.
Our objective is to connect them to nature, themselves, and others through therapeutic equine, art, movement, horticultural and recreational activities. Through interactions with horses, immersive experiences in nature, and engaging in group adventures, they are given tools on how to navigate difficulties and connect with a community led by credentialed therapists. The goal is to reduce stress, demonstrate healthy expression of emotion, develop coping skills, and create a connected community.
The Ohana Family Allies (OFA) grief support group consists of children, along with parents and guardians experiencing the death of a significant loved one. The credentialed grief professionals facilitate grief discussions, engage in a meaningful activity based on therapeutic art, movement, or horticulture.
MINIS ON THE MOVE
OUR MINI HORSES VISIT VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND ADULTS, IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, WHEREVER THEY CALL HOME, INCLUDING REHABILITATION, HOSPICE CENTERS AND HOMEBOUND PEDIATRIC HOSPICE PATIENTS.
OTHER OHANA ANIMAL INTERACTIONS
HAND-IN-HAND HAIR
Paid for programming
ADULT PROGRAMS
We host a variety of programs throughout the year, such as sunset Yoga.
CAREGIVER WORKSHOPS
Our workshops can be customized to meet the needs of your team. Themes include self-care and compassion fatigue.
CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING
Corporate team building events can be customized to meet the goals of your team. These events may include horticultural projects, equine encounters, movement, art, catered lunches, wagon rides, labyrinth walk, other animal interactions and more.
Sample Day Schedule and Lunch Menu:
SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS
We offer a variety of programming that can be customized to children at different developmental stages. We offer art, horticulture, movement, and animal interactions with our respective specialists.
We have four regular horses and two mini horses, bunnies, chickens, ducks, gardens, and a covered tractor-drawn wagon. We love customizing programs to support specific educational themes and goals your school may have.
FUNDRAISING EVENTS