Christian Children’s Home of Ohio is pleased to receive a grant award from the Women’s Service Club of Wayne County. This generous funding, along with the volunteer help from an eager teenage boy in pursuit of earning his Eagle Scout rank, covered the expenses and hard work of updating our sensory trail at Christian Children’s Home of Ohio.
The sensory trail offers both the outpatient clients at Encompass Christian Counseling and the residential clients at the Christian Children's Home of Ohio a peaceful place to fully engage with their five senses. By bringing mindful awareness to what one sees, smells, tastes, feels, and hears, a person becomes more grounded and present-focused.
While depression can cause a person to feel stuck in the past, and anxiety can focus on the "what-ifs" in the future, mindful practice allows someone to be fully present in the moment. This practice can help stop rampant depressive and anxious thinking.
Along the trail, there are multiple opportunities to engage all five senses. The trail includes a wooden bridge to activate the sense of sound and pool noodle alley that focuses on the sense of touch. There is a friendly game of I Spy that challenges clients to find hidden objects along the trail. Fresh mint and lavender have been planted along the trail for the senses of smell and taste. Whether riding one of the therapy horses along the trail or hiking the trail by foot, clients will experience mindfulness as they activate all five senses.
There is also a memorial garden at the beginning of the trail, where a person can sit in quiet reflection and remember loved ones by placing painted rocks or memorabilia in the garden. The sensory trail offers peace and tranquility while allowing people to practice mindfulness skills to improve their emotional health.
Thank you, Women’s Service Club of Wayne County, for your generosity in helping make this dream a reality. Because of you, our clients are experiencing their true worth and moving forward to healing.
