"The earth has its music for those who will listen."
- George Santayana
Philosophy
According to the Natural Wild Life Federation, reconnecting with nature makes for kinder, more socially aware human beings. It affects health, daily happiness and promotes intellectual enrichment, as well as encourages all to promote conservation efforts.
Nature Heals seeks to improve the mental and emotional states of others by using a variety of nature-based therapies including, but not limited to: equine facilitated psychotherapy, horticulture therapy, and utilization of the natural environment provided by our location in Boulder County, Colorado.
Horses are authentic, congruent, sentient beings, that act as partners helping us to identify old patterns of behavior, which were once intelligent survival mechanisms, but which now need to be transformed in order for us to become more fully conscious, functional human beings. This relationship dynamic provides for an immediate experience, revealing consequences of our behavior. They demonstrate that as we change internally so does our external world. Furthermore, since horses are social beings that live naturally in groups, they allow for children and adults to learn how to authentically and safely connect with animals first and then be able transfer those experiences to others in their own lives, helping in turn to generate compassion and healthy partnership.
Our setting in rural Boulder County also allows us to offer horticultural therapy techniques. Studies have shown that working with the earth and plants help improve memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. Furthermore, it can allow individuals to learn to work independently, problem solve, and follow directions.
Finally, being in Nature allows reconnection with the earth; providing a grounding mechanism for our busy and often chaotic lifestyles. From this safe space, we are able to address our own deeper issues, dropping barriers and connecting with others in a compassionate and respectful way. Exploring nature and the wilderness areas surrounding our community in groups allow for team building, cooperative learning, responsibility, and the development of respect for self and others.
It is our belief that no one should be turned away from nature-based therapy programs because of financial stress. Therefore, we work with individuals based on their financial situations allowing for sliding scale payments. Grants and donations through Nature Heals help to fund as many individuals as possible.