CBR YouthConnect was proud to sponsor the latest session in the Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) Research Seminar Series, “Green Chimneys: The Evolution of a Nature-Based Program.” The event highlighted how human-animal relationships can support healing, growth, and resilience in children and youth.
Green Chimneys leaders Kristin Licardi, Chief Clinical Officer and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Michael Kaufmann, Vice President of Nature-Based Programs, shared the organization’s decades-long commitment to supporting children and youth through a unique model that integrates meaningful connections with animals and nature into residential, educational, clinical, and recreational services.
Similar to Green Chimneys, CBR YouthConnect’s foundation began with a residential treatment program situated on a ranch, where young people engaged in structured, supportive interactions with animals as part of their therapeutic journey. These experiences fostered not only emotional regulation and responsibility but also trust, empathy, and a sense of self. Both organizations were founded on the belief that relationships with animals and with nature can be powerful catalysts for change.
We are grateful to IHAC for convening such meaningful conversations and to Green Chimneys for their leadership and innovation. We look forward to continuing to learn, collaborate, and contribute to a future where young people have access to healing environments that nurture their strengths and potential.