FAIRLEE, Vt. (WCAX Photojournalist Kerri Nelson) – Retreats, mental health, and summer activities for kids, all of these things rarely have the word affordable and accessible attached to them. “We R Hope” has changed that. For one hundred dollars a week, children from the Upper Valley are able to access vital mental health resources in an empowering and fun environment.
“This retreat is like no other, the Upper Valley Youth Wellness Retreat is here to make sure children have something amazing to do over the summer.”
“It’s an anxiety retreat and there are a lot of people who are anxious and we can all connect to each other that way,” said retreat attendee, Rainn.
“One hand on the top one hand on the bottom…you’re going to push through and roll it…”
“Kids are starting to realize its ok to not be ok and that’s what we want them to understand. Every child is struggling with something,” said Sean Perry, Perry is President and Co Founder of ‘We R Hope’.
“So they are seeing the effect of how intricate learning about their emotions, learning about their anxiety, learning about their depression, learning about how they can manage all that, and seeing how important that is,”.
“Like breathing exercises and how to not to think about what going on as much and how to distract myself from what I’m scared of,” said attendee Amara.
“It’s about learning about yourself and connecting with yourself,” said Oli.
“I was able to make more friends…talk to people more openly and be more like myself and i guess its also got me to overcome,” said Madison.
“It’s beautiful up here and there’s lots of activities that are going to be great…she loves horses.”
“These horses are amazing. Your feelings, they can feel anger a mile away or like happy or calm.”
“They have big feelings that they don’t know what to do with them and they think they are weird, and something is wrong and they come here and they hear other kids talk and they say it not just me…everyone feels this way.”
“We R Hope” Youth Mental Health and Wellness Retreat will continue for the next two weeks Monday through Thursday in Fairlee.
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