Care Kits
Our care kits foster healing beyond our therapy sessions through play, connectedness, self-care and comfort. They are given to families who participate in the services Reaching HOPE provides, as well as members of the community.
Play is an important element that can be beneficial to adults and children alike as it can:
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Help us release stress and release endorphins (feel-good hormones) into the body
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Improve brain function and prevent memory issues
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Stimulate the mind and foster creativity
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Improve relationships and connectivity within the family
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Aid in development of social skills and improve family communication
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Help us heal emotional wounds within ourselves and our families
All of the Items in the Care Kit have been carefully selected and designed by our Reaching HOPE team. Each item is meant to help you learn to find connection, safety, and fun within within yourself or together with your chosen family.
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Because trauma can make it hard to stay in the moment you are actually in, you will find that the items in this kit will help you come back to this moment and remind your body of all the amazing ways you are able to take back power over your own thoughts and feelings, and ways you can connect and feel comfortable with people who are safe.
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Click on the tabs above for ideas on how to use each item!
To request a care kit, or learn more about how you can help us get more kits into the community, contact info@reachinghope.org
We love using this emotion magnet lots of time throughout every day! Being able to identify and talk about emotions is a very helpful way for us to learn how to handle our emotions. Emotions are part of who we are as human beings, so don't hide from them! Learn to talk about them and how to express them in healthy ways.
​For all ages:​
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Hang this up in a place where people can see it. Each morning, use the square or just point to share the way you are feeling with people you feel safe with. As those emotions change throughout the day, move the square or share with people the new emotion you are feeling!
- Grownups-make sure you check in on this magnet. Sometimes kids have a hard time saying their emotion out loud, but they almost always want a safe grownup to know what they are really feeling! Give them the opportunity to show you how they are feeling through these emotions.
- Pick an emotion that you hope to feel during the day. Talk to one another about how you can create that emotion in yourselves and how you can help everyone else feel the emotion they picked!​
- At night during dinner or as part of a bedtime routine, pull this out and have each person name 3 emotions they felt that day and what was happening when they felt that emotion. Talk about how they handled feeling that way and the ways they stayed in control. This goes for positive emotions, too! Feeling happy is awesome, but when our happy gets too big, we often feel out of control and can make mistakes. How can we keep all of our emotions in check so that we keep control of our bodies?
Hear from those who have shared care kits with their clients
Adult Family Therapy Client
“They added to the spirit of our own services in a complementary way, messaging that we are here to support you. Also the for stress relief is a good one for most clients.”
Sandy, Diversion Counselor
“They are amazing for Substance Use Clients because they helped them to practice regulation and soothing. They receive them with excitement and lots of appreciation.”
Alfonso, Diversion Counselor
“​​Thank you, thank you, thank you for Care Kits! I enjoy showing and sharing the kits with parents and helping them understand the importance of self – care.