Our services are based on the philosophy that to improve the quality of life for a child with special health needs we need to focus on their family and the community. This includes caring for the whole child, including their mind, body, and spirit, their immediate family members, and their broader community. This concept of Whole child, Whole family, Whole community has led to the development of a program that supports children with special health needs and their families through healing retreats, ongoing care, continuing education and networks of community support. The first layer of our services, which we call the First Healing Circle, begins with a week-long healing retreat immersion program. This program is educational and experiential and serves as a catalyst for change and new possibilites for everyone involved.
The first step for all participants in Integrative Touch for Kids' programs includes participation in a week-long healing retreat. These retreats are held in Tucson, Arizona, at a beautiful ranch resort that provides a private, natural environment. Children with special health needs, their caregivers and siblings experience integrative healing services, education and support groups over the course of the week. Families also form close ties and relationships with other families. Family members participate in the program together, strengthening their interpersonal relationships and fostering communication and understanding. An integrative healing team of more than 150 providers and general volunteers deliver a range of services including:
Once families have participated in a healing retreat and returned to their home communities, Integrative Touch for Kids continues to support them through education, support networks and ongoing trainings. We offer retreat participants the opportunity to regularly engage in online educational workshops, designed to promote learning and further support the integration of healing services into their daily routine. Through webinars, families can ask questions, practice new skills, and enhance their learning. When planning our retreats, we look for families that are from similar geographic locations to help foster the development of new networks of support within their home communities. These networks include host families that do not have children with special health needs to promote integration into the broader community and break down the stigma and isolation that families often face. Our services strive to create integrated communities that work torward supporting and empowering children with special health needs and their families and enriching the community as a whole.
Our organization engages in ongoing education, training, and resource development for integrative healthcare professionals. We provide community gatherings, trainings and opportunities for informational exchanges to take place amongst medical professionals. Healing arts practitioners, nurses, doctors, physical and occupational therapists and others have opportunities to be introduced to the new model of care that Integrative Touch for Kids is developing so that some of these ideas can influence, inform, and transform their practice.
The integrative nature of our work encourages integral communities where children with special health needs and their families are full participating members of the communites in which they live. This means that we serve not only families with children with special health needs, but all of the volunteers who attend our healing retreats. Our retreat communities are educational for everyone involved and provide opportunities for learning in integrative medicine and inclusion. Integrative Touch for Kids values the relationships we create in our communities and takes great care to form long-standing partnerships. The ongoing support of our programs is dependant upon an investment from the communities that we impact. To substantiate the effects of our services, Integrative Touch for Kids conducts research and evaluation that can be shared with the community at large, the medical community, families and corporate partners.
Logan's Story
When we first met Logan, he was a shy thirteen year old dealing with the challenges of a rare liver and kidney disease. He joined us for the first Healing Retreat Program in 2009, along with his mother, father and sixteen year old brother. During their stay, Logan and his famiy had the opportunity to receive new healing therapies in an environment that was safe, understanding and nurturing.
Click here to hear Logan talk about his experience.
Thank You from Taylor
Thank you to all of you for supporting this amazing organization. The transformation that is possible for every family member who will be abe to experience the ITK healing retreat because of your generous donations is truly remarkable.
- Taylor C., Healing Retreat Participant 2010