Free Program Offering Counseling For Adults With Childhood Trauma

The Green Shoe Foundation helps adults from all over the country, and even outside the country, deal with childhood trauma.

“We’ve even had folks come over from Canada, Iceland and the UK that have come over to do our program,” said Stephany Cochran, executive director of the Green Shoe Foundation.

“The forming of this foundation and his mission, in wanting to make sure that mental health is something we continue to talk about,” said Cochran.

The free program is offered for adults 21 and over, provides a safe group setting with a licensed counselor.

“We offer a five-day intensive outpatient program, with a focus on healing from childhood relational trauma,” said Cochran.

Step one is acknowledging the presence of trauma.

“Trauma is defined as anything that we’ve experienced in childhood as less than nurturing,” said Cochran.

Eight short years into the program, they are having a tremendous impact.

“We’ve had over 2,000 folks come through the program, with 435 groups and with that over 42 states have been represented,” said Cochran.  

They just moved into their new 10,000 square foot facility, on 415 acres of land, everything thoughtfully planned out around healing.

“It gives that ability for individuals to decompress and connect both with the external world as well as their internal feelings and emotions,” said Cochran.

As the participants go through the group sessions, there are stuffed animals for comfort.

“That really helps us get in touch with our inner child as well as kind of find that comfort throughout the week,” said Cochran.

Truly a unique program for our state.

“The only one in the state that does this type of work, and especially this type of work at no cost,” said Cochran.  

For more information or to apply for the program visit their website www.greenshoe.org