We are supporting the migrant community at the border of California and Mexico, serving hundreds of women, children, and families via expressive arts and movement.
We are working collaboratively with local non-profits and NGOs, we are working to provide sustainable mental health strategies/interventions with this community as we continue in 2019-2020.
From 2016 to present, a small HAPPI team collaborates with multiple NGOs other to provide mental health services in the form of culturally sensitive, trauma-informed expressive arts therapy activities and yoga to over 100 children and families in a predominantly Syrian refugee camp near Idomeni, Greece, in Lesvos and in Athens. We continue to seek funds to support our work with families in Greece.
Our team works with multiple organizations in Northern Thailand. We work with about 50-100 or more children and women over 10-14 days, engaging them in trauma-informed yoga and movement and expressive arts activities while also providing trauma-informed professional trainings for staff of the organizations in order to offer sustainable support to the communities.
HAPPI was invited to support a local non-profit in Haiti who serves underprivileged children and families in holistic ways, especially helping them reunite with families, attaining education and life outside the streets, trafficking or abusive, illegitimate orphanages. We provided direct service via expressive arts to dozens of children and a multi-day trauma-informed training and case consultation to 20 staff. We continue to provide pro bono consultation for mental health strategies to another local NGO in southern Haiti.
HAPPI staff provided pro-bono trauma-informed training via expressive arts methods to about 30 staff members of a local children’s organization who works with thousands of children in Hanoi, Vietnam. The needs of vulnerable children there are high, many living on streets or suffering drug addiction, poverty, abuse and sex trafficking. We believe in providing sustainable professional training to the local staff who provide much-needed support for these children to serve them developmentally in all ways- psychologically, physically and spiritually.
The California wildfires this October 2017 have ravaged thousands of homes, caused many tragic deaths and disrupted the education and economy of multiple communities in the Northern Bay area, including family and friends. Our hearts are with these communities as they begin to repair, heal and move forward in their lives.
A HAPPI team supported during the acute phase of the crisis, providing expressive arts support at Sonoma Valley High School which was converted into an emergency shelter as well as at Sonoma Raceway. We served approximately 40-50 evacuees. We were welcomed by the Principal Karen and her team of volunteers at Sonoma Valley H.S. and by the staff of the Sonoma Raceway. We provided more simplified stress relieving expressive arts therapy based activities, including guided breathing strategies, yoga, puppet making, painting and coloring. We connected empathically with many evacuees, both children and adults to provide validation, comfort, and warm connection. When possible, we shared the typical trauma and stress responses happening in the Nervous System and brain as well to normalize symptoms and inform on how to cope better, including relaxation recommendations.
The HAPPI H.A.K. (Healing Arts Kit) is the first trademarked emergency/non-emergency mental health kit available rooted in trauma-informed care via the expressive arts.
We need some angel investors of goodness for our projects welcome donations so we can grow our work to reach more people that need our services. You can also be a partner, sponsor or fairy godmother for us.
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