Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein
The Programs
In “The Ecology of Imagination in Childhood,” a study of more than 300 biographies of creative thinkers, famous inventors, and leaders in Daedalus, Edith Cobb found an interesting common thread: their creative imagination was rooted in nature.
Mother Bear Sanctuary creates healing experiences with nature and animals for children by bringing nature and animals to children.
Studies have shown that one small moment in nature or with animals can positively affect and shape one’s life. Our programs are not a show-and-tell of animals but rather an educational opportunity to directly experience nature and animals.
Mother Bear programs inspire a phenomenological experience with nature and animals. It is our hope that this simple program will open up a “perceptual window” for the child.
Each program is tailored to the children’s needs and follows a general format as follows:
- Children are introduced to our “chicken facilitators.”
- We then participate in a movement practice to “be like chickens,” creating a playful, direct experience for the children.
- Each child is invited to touch, pet, and hold chickens, all of whom are very friendly.
- A short book is read about the chickens, describing their nesting cycle, eating habits, and more.
- Finally, kids are invited to ask questions and/or play with chickens.
Chicken Facilitators
Charlie the chicken was raised to be a friend to children and loves pats on her head.
Sharlee the chicken: loves to snuggle and be close and is especially fond of creamed corn.
Marlee the chicken is the most curious of the three and loves to hunt out bugs and find new places to hide.
Human Facilitators
Barbra White has dedicated her life to service after a life-changing spiritual experience in her early twenties. Her work has changed hundreds of lives and inspired many into service.
Through her now 25 years of service and more than 40,000 healing session hours, Barbra has maintained a strong conviction of compassion in her work. She has written four books on Self Acceptance and is a best-selling Amazon author and has created a training program called the Self Acceptance Process. Barbra has spoken nationally and hosts New York Times best-selling authors and world changers on her radio show, Beautiful Earth. Barbra has a Masters in transpersonal psychology and eco-psychology and holds a diploma of homeopathy.
Barbra is also a gifted intuitive and uses these capacities to communicate with animals and help people connect to their innate worth and realize their gifts to serve others.
Paula Long‘s life advocacy is working with children. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Paula began her 41-year career teaching elementary school in Michigan and Texas. The past 20 years, she taught in the Michigan School Readiness program, a preschool setting focused oral language and social-emotional skills development.
Contact us for information on programming.