Camp Nurture
Camp Nurture is a therapeutic day camp offered through Nurture House for
adopted children, age 5-9, with trauma and attachment challenges. The 5-day
pilot program, offered this summer at Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home
involved a massive donation of time, resources, and expertise across a
variety of organizations (see attached list of camp sponsors) and resulted
in amazing growth of children, parents and the professionals involved. Camp
Nurture offered a structured combination of playfully engaging, sensory, and
therapeutic activities to nurture the children¹s ability to self-regulate
and connect with others. Children participated in Nurture groups designed to
build their capacity to seek and receive care, Life-Skills groups to
facilitate children¹s ability to process change and loss, as well as
identify and express emotions, Movement groups for learning self-regulation
strategies, and Art Groups. Children had intense periods of sensory need
meeting in our Crash and Bump area. Each child was matched with a Camp
Buddy, and in this first pilot each child had a back-up buddy as well, so
that a “two parent” environment was recreated to immerse children in . These
“brains on board” supported the child¹s exploration and provided safety and
nurturing engagement. Parents attended all (5) pre-camp parent training
sessions, were on site during camp, and participated in follow up support
groups.
Next year, we hope to expand the Camp Nurture experience. Please let us know
if you are a family interested in receiving more information, or if you are
a professional in training who would like to volunteer as a buddy.
(include photos on Copy in Camp Nurture folder)
“Nurture the Needs” Parent Groups
A Group for Parents of Adoptive Children
This group, a six-week psychoeducation and support group for adoptive parents, will offer a holistic paradigm for helping children heal. Many adoptive children have difficulty with self-regulation and self-soothing. Out of this difficulty can come behaviors that are hard to handle. Understanding the neurophysiology of these children, their stress response systems and their “windows of tolerance” set the stage for understanding the most helpful ways of connecting with a child from a hard beginning.
As parents, it helps to have a comprehensive toolkit of parenting strategies that includes co-regulation skills in addition to traditional behavior management practices. The goals of the group are twofold: to help parents be better equipped to meet the needs underneath their adopted child’s behaviors and to build a community of support with other parents.
Parent Consults
Family and Individual sessions at Nurture House