Healing Reins opens innovative nature-based pediatric therapy clinic
KTVZ
(Update: Adding video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Healing Reins Equine Assisted Services announced Friday the opening of its new nature-based occupational and physical therapy clinic, a space where children can build strength, confidence, and connection through movement, outdoor experiences and hands-on interaction with animals and nature.
Here’s the rest of the organization’s news release:
Unlike conventional therapy settings, this clinic replaces fluorescent lights and sterile walls with open skies, fresh air, and the gentle presence of animals. Here, therapy happens not just on a mat or table, but in motion: on sensory trails, in gardens, alongside farm animals, and in dynamic spaces designed to spark curiosity and joy.
“There’s something uniquely powerful about connecting with animals and nature,” said Polly Cohen, Executive Director. “When children move with purpose, when they reach, climb, play, and explore, they don’t just meet their therapy goals. They build confidence, resilience, and a deeper sense of belonging in the world around them.”
Nature-based occupational and physical therapy integrates evidence-based pediatric care with the therapeutic benefits of the natural environment. Research shows that children often regulate more easily outdoors, engage more fully with their therapists, and build motor and sensory skills in ways that feel less like therapy and more like play.
The new clinic includes:
Two dedicated pediatric therapy rooms designed for occupational and physical therapy, supporting personalized, goal-oriented sessions.
A fully equipped therapy gym to build strength, coordination, and functional movement.
Farm animal interaction zones, where children practice purposeful movement, sensory processing, and communication skills in a calm, motivating environment.
Outdoor sensory trails and play areas that turn exploration and movement into powerful therapeutic tools.
This expansion builds on Healing Reins’ 26-year legacy of serving Central Oregon through adaptive horsemanship, physical and occupational therapy utilizing equine movement, mental health services, and specialized programming for veterans and first responders.
By adding pediatric nature-based occupational and physical therapy services, Healing Reins meets a critical and growing need in Central Oregon.