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Our Commitment to Compassion
Our commitment to compassion is for all beings: human beings, animal beings, and the earth as a living organism that houses us all. The Regenerative Health Social Model is at the center of the work of our coalition members.
- Carefarming includes activities such as gardening and therapeutic horticulture, animal therapy, rescue animal caregiving, green recreation, landscape maintenance, and ecotherapy. Our coalition of carefarms takes ‘caring’ seriously: there is no ‘farm’ without ‘care’ here, and none of our rescued farm animals are “used” for their products or for work. These are sanctuaries for humans and for animals, and so we practice compassion and ahimsa, nonviolence toward all beings, through veganism at our carefarms.
- Contemplative practices which include meditation/centering prayer, mindfulness-based support groups and counseling, bibliotherapy, grounding, sacred spaces, and grief/remembrance rituals. The beautiful natural milieu of the Carefarm is a wonderful place to begin a contemplative practice. Those who work here already have their own committed mindfulness, meditation, or contemplative prayer practices. Our team’s practices allow for the open, compassionate, and non-judging experiences of our clients. Those who want to learn meditation or mindfulness are able to receive instruction on contemplative practices, grounding, unconscious processes, bibliotherapy, rituals, yoga or mindful movement, and individual and group counseling for traumatic grief and the ATTEND Model (Cacciatore, 2011) of care.
- Physical well-being includes intentional and mindful practices including yoga, physical activity, and psychoeducation around sleep hygiene, stress resilience, healthy and sustainable eating practices. This can also include the physical care of the natural sacred spaces around the Carefarm and connection with the animals through compassionate touch, feeding, grooming, and contemplative time with them.
- The Regenerative Health Social Model (2017) includes therapeutic aesthetics, agriculture and gardening, care for and connection to animals, mostly formerly farmed, rescued from torture, abuse, and neglect, engagement with nature and ecotherapies, and green recreation. Importantly, when exploring social support in traumatic grief, Cacciatore and colleagues (2021) found that animals provided the highest levels of satisfaction (89%), significantly higher than professional, family, or community support. The category ranking second in level of satisfaction was 'support groups" at 67%. Bereaved families (and many other families struggling with other crises like addiction, incarceration, and psychological disturbances), often have inadequate social support when they need it most, making them vulnerable to the negative effects of loneliness, poor social support, and isolation. Much psychological distress was amplified further during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to adverse physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Time in Nature
Nature helps regulate our nervous system, lowering levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), helping people feel more relaxed. Studies indicate that spending time in nature can lead to reduced stress, anxiety, and emotional and mental fatigue. Green spaces, in particular, promote relaxation and calmness while boosting cognition. The biophilia hypothesis suggests that humans have an innate connection to the natural world, and interacting with nature helps restore mental balance. Nature offers an environment that can soothe, center, and help reduce the stressors caused by loss and distress. Green and blue spaces, such as parks, forests, and bodies of water, offer significant psychological benefits that enhance mental well-being. Being in nature, surrounded by greenery or near water, has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. These environments promote relaxation by lowering cortisol levels and heart rates, helping to calm the mind and soothe the nervous system. The sights and sounds of nature, such as birdsong or the gentle movement of water, encourage mindfulness, improve mood, and boost cognitive function. Green spaces, in particular, provide opportunities for physical activity, social interaction, and solitude, all of which contribute to emotional resilience. Blue spaces, like lakes, rivers, or the ocean, are especially calming, evoking feelings of tranquility and awe. Time spent in these spaces can improve focus, enhance creativity, and provide a much-needed break from the fast-paced, often stressful demands of urban life. Overall, regular exposure to green and blue environments fosters greater emotional balance, mental clarity, and a sense of well-being.
Physical Well-Being
Therapeutic psychoeducation offers a wide range of benefits for individuals experiencing distress by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to better understand and manage their emotional and psychological states. One of the primary benefits is increased self-awareness. This awareness can reduce feelings of confusion, fear, and helplessness. Additionally, psychoeducation teaches coping strategies and stress management techniques that help individuals effectively deal with difficult emotions and situations. These tools—such as relaxation exercises, building "emotional muscle" and "grief muscle" (Cacciatore, 2010), and mindfulness practices—can increase our capacity to cope. Maintaining healthy habits like sleep hygiene, exercise, yoga, a plant-based diet, and improving stress resilience can significantly enhance both physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Proper sleep hygiene, which includes consistent sleep routines, a comfortable environment, and minimizing screen time before bed, helps improve the quality of sleep, supports cognitive function, boosts immunity, and reduces stress. Regular exercise increases energy levels, strengthens the heart, and promotes the release of endorphins, which enhance mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Yoga, with its focus on mindful movement and deep breathing, calms the nervous system, enhances flexibility, and helps to relieve tension, fostering a sense of mental clarity and emotional balance. A plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes provides essential nutrients that promote optimal brain function, reduce inflammation, and support long-term health. Together, these practices build stress resilience and coping, enhancing focus, and fostering a sense of meaning when ready.
Our Animal Brethren
The rescued animals—once farmed and often subjected to abuse—are central to our model. They embody a profound sense of mutual compassion and resilience that is unmatched. Research has shown that interacting with animals can significantly enhance our well-being, promoting healthier heart rate variability, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormones, and triggering the release of beneficial chemicals that support relaxation and healing. Time spent with animals, especially those with histories of rescue and survival, has been found to lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. These animals, by mirroring the process of healing from trauma, become a source of hope, strength, and courage for those with whom they interact. Many of these animals communicate through body language and nonverbal cues, requiring humans to be more attuned to their own emotions and responses. This fosters emotional connection and attunement, allowing individuals to become more sensitive to both their own feelings and those of others. Moreover, caring for animals who have experienced trauma fosters a deeper sense of empathy, not just for animals, but for other people as well. This heightened compassion enhances relationships, nurtures a sense of community, and strengthens social bonds, creating a more connected and supportive environment for all involved. Indeed, in our own studies, we have found that animals have a significant and scientifically recognized impact on the nervous system, helping to regulate stress, improve emotional well-being, enhance physical health, and foster resilience. Their presence offers not only companionship but also physiological and psychological benefits that promote relaxation, reduce anxiety, and strengthen overall emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental health.