Dalia* didn’t speak or smile, she cried every night, she had nightmares and wet her bed. Ari* panicked whenever someone new spoke with him. You could see the fear and anxiety in his eyes, especially if they tried to hug him. Sara* screamed and ran away if she saw a fire, even just a match being lit near her.
Children are sent to live at an EMUNAH Residential Home for many reasons, none of them good. They have experienced physical, sexual and mental abuse, violence, addiction and often, the tragic death of parents and loved ones.
They are afraid, traumatized and anxious. Their distress is overwhelming, yet, they often can not open up to talk about their pain and experiences. Thus, blocking the way to healing through traditional therapy and counseling. EMUNAH Has Taken ACTION – finding a way to help alleviate their pain and find inner peace and happiness.
Though the children’s pain is serious, and NOT A CLOWNING matter – EMUNAH’s Social Therapy Clowning program has led to innovative ways for the children to share their past experiences and trauma. The clowns who are specially trained to work with at-risk and vulnerable populations are often able to get the children to confide in them. This valuable information is then shared with the therapists and social workers to be integrated into their treatment plans.
(* All names are changed to protect the children)
