ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

The children in our care have severe emotional and behavioral disturbances as a result of their traumatic backgrounds. They often exhibit a range of difficult symptoms including fear, rage, distrust of adults, and destructive or violent behavior. Many of them do not benefit from conventional therapies alone. Our alternative therapies which among others include art therapy, music therapy, crafts therapy, bibliotherapy, and pet therapy enable them to explore difficult emotions in an intuitive, non-verbal way. This supports their recovery and helps facilitate our overall goal; to rehabilitate the children so that they can re-enter mainstream society and go on to lead normative lives. Some examples of the different therapies include Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Crafts Therapy, Bibliotherapy, and Animal-Assisted Therapy.

The Jerusalem Hills also offers a variety of therapeutic that take place outside the campus to give the children their first steps towards independence and renewed connection with the wider community. Participation in these activities also provides the children with a sense of control and accomplishment. It gives them the tools to deal with difficult situations, to develop confidence in their ability to shape their experiences, and it teaches them to trust others. These are skills that will assist them as they re-enter normative society and begin to build fulfilling lives of their own.