Family Therapy Programmes

Registered Charity Number 1121315

What difference did this project make to these special needs families lives?

Through this project, children and young adults with severe mental and physical difficulties: 

• Increased their confidence, self-esteem and communication skills
• Increased their energy, dexterity, physical strength, mental stimulation and engagement with life.
• More responsive and alert, unlocking a silent world for those with autism.
• Learnt new skills
• Found or reconnected with their artistic and musical talents
• Learnt to solve problems and challenges during the activities
• Learnt about the marine environment and conservation.
• Gave special needs children and their families an opportunity to share with others their problems, difficulties in coping, shared their hopes, dreams and aspirations in a supportive and caring environment.
• Gave them the opportunity to make new and lasting friendships (families with special needs feel isolated and this programme gave them an opportunity to meet others that understood in a caring, sharing, and trusting environment).
• Participants reported having greater insight to their talents, abilities and aspirations.
• Participants reported having a greater spiritual awareness.

On returning home – Shoei wrote:

“The best part of the programme was the encounters with dolphins, and sharing thoughts with other people in the group. It was so fulfilling.  Dolphins brought us many changes in consciousness, and behaviour in Minga’s case. 

She used to eat lunch very slow at school, but now, she is very clear about what to eat and not to eat, so she finishes her lunch first among all, and go play at the trampoline. She seems not to be wasting her time.  And her energy level has been kept very high”.

Benoit’s progress since the programme in Bimini
by Denise Doussin

“All of our family have been moving forward since this amazing experience. We were all on a high when we got back from Bimini.

 Watching Benoit the other day, he made some beautiful catches in cricket and French cricket (a variation on the game which is easier to play with less players). He makes a shape of a funnel with his hands while trying to catch a ball now, something he wasn’t doing before the programme. He wants to play other sports, like tennis, and his aim is remarkably good at times. An improvement, considering he was marked as poor in co-ordination by an Occupational Therapist, two weeks before he went to Bimini, when he had a full analysis of his skills, spatial, balance and co-ordination.

We believe his co-ordination has improved and his ability to question and respond more appropriately to questions posed”.

It seems since returning back from Bimini we have all moved forward in subtle ways. Frederic seems to be finding his feet better and having the courage to say what he believes in and speak about it to others even at a family gathering. Something he found harder to do than at a gathering with strangers.

I have also noticed in me, words of wisdom coming out regarding the indigo children and crystal children and realising how I wish to work with these children and why. I know it is truly my path to work with these children and enable them to find their own unique way forward.

So my dreams or aspirations are now beginning to unfold too.