Oak Therapies, Smarden, Kent (2025)

04/12/2025

What a week at Oak Therapies! 🌿💚

We kicked things off with a creative morning in Andy’s shed, designing and building a dirt bike model, sawdust, ideas, and plenty of laughs included.

We also enjoyed a beautifully chilled session with Merlin. His calm, grounding energy brings so much to our days… we really do love that pony. 🐴✨

Our sensory garden has had a big boost too! We’ve been updating, tidying, and planning for what’s next. Log edging will be finished on Tuesday, and we’ve cut a new bed ready for Andy to strim around. Even in winter, there’s still so much to do, but it’s slowly coming together and looking wonderful. 🌱

And of course… festive creativity is in full swing! Our community members have been making the most beautiful wooden Christmas trees, the workshop has never looked so magical. 🎄🔨

It’s been another full week of connection, creativity, nature, and therapeutic moments - exactly what Oak Therapies is all about.

At Oak Therapies, we offer a variety of therapeutic services for individuals, groups, and organisations. If you’re curious about how we might support you, we offer a free 30-minute consultation. Just fill out the enquiry form on our website and we’ll get back to you: https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/🤝💬

Here’s to another meaningful week in our community 🌿✨

27/11/2025

🍂 It’s been a busy (and chilly-but-sunny!) week here at Oak Therapies – and yes, Stan the dog has been front and centre as usual! 🐾✨

This week we’ve been making the den extra cosy. We built a brand-new table, and with Jo, our creative therapist, one of our community members spent time decorating it beautifully. Stan supervised, of course, he loves getting involved in whatever our community members are up to!

Over in Andy’s shed, we finally finished the quad bike project we’ve been working on. One very happy community member rode away smiling… and so did Andy! 🚲😊

And the goats? Well, they had their own opinions this week. They made it very clear that they prefer playtime on the slide without a lead. Our two cheeky explorers really do love their freedom! 🐐💨

All in all, it’s been a wonderful couple of days full of creativity, achievement, laughter, and plenty of animal antics.

If you’re interested in the therapies we offer here at Oak Therapies, we’d love to hear from you. 🌿
You can reach us via the enquiry form on our website, and we’ll get back to you. We’re currently booking free 30-minute consultations: https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/

Come join us, and maybe meet Stan and the goats too! 💛🐾🐐

20/11/2025

It’s been a busy (and very chilly!) week here at Oak Therapies ❄️🌿

The bench is officially finished, and the den is slowly but surely coming together. Jo, our brilliant Creative Arts Therapist, and Lucie our fantastic Therapy Assistant has been hard at work painting and upcycling furniture, transforming old favourites into fresh, inspiring pieces. We’ve all been getting hands-on too, with plenty of making, crafting, and planning… the table is next on the list for next week!

Of course, Stan the dog has taken his role as chief seating-tester very seriously 🐾🪑 And Merlin has been helping with the hay nets (and sampling a little along the way… strictly in the name of quality control!) 🐴💛

Even with the cold weather settling in, we’ve been loving the buzz of creativity, taking plant cuttings, potting them up, and continuing our passion for upcycling, collaborating, and reinventing the den. It’s all coming together as a cosy, creative space for our community members, present and future, to enjoy and make their own.

Lots happening, lots growing, and lots to look forward to. We really do love every season, even the freezing ones! 🍂❄️💚

If you’d like to reach out to Oak Therapies for a free 30-minute consultation to explore how we could support you or someone you know with the therapies we offer here at our Therapeutic Centre, please feel free to get in touch via our website: https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/

11/11/2025

🌿 A Huge Thank You to Our Local Garden Centres! 🌸

We’d like to send a heartfelt thank you to Blue Diamond Garden Centre in Chartham for their incredibly generous donation of £200 worth of plants to Oak Therapies! 💚

A special mention to Richard Hanman from the Blue Diamond garden team, your expertise, kindness, and advice were so appreciated by our students, Amanda and Clare, who collected the donation alongside our Head Gardener. Your guidance has truly helped us choose the right plants to make our therapy garden thrive. 🌼

We’d also like to say a big thank you to Ripleys Garden Centre in Bethersden, who kindly donated first and gifted us the most beautiful cherry blossom tree, we can’t wait to see it bloom in the seasons ahead! 🌸🌳

These generous contributions will help us continue creating a calm, restorative environment for everyone at Oak Therapies. 🌿💚

05/11/2025

🌿 Remembering Colin 🌿

It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news that our beloved Colin, one of our cherished family members here at Oak Therapies, passed away this past weekend.

Colin wasn’t just a dog; he was truly part of the Oak Therapies family. His gentle spirit, kind eyes, and boundless affection touched the hearts of so many who visited us. Whether he was greeting clients with a wagging tail or simply offering quiet comfort, Colin had a way of making everyone feel seen, loved, and at peace.

He will be deeply missed by our whole community, especially by Caroline, our director, who shared such a special bond with him.

Today, we celebrate Colin’s life, the joy he brought, the calm he shared, and the love he gave so freely. Thank you, Colin, for all the warmth and healing you brought into our world.

Rest peacefully, dear friend. 💚🐾

30/10/2025

🌿 A Week of Connection, Creativity, and Calm at Oak Therapies 🌿

What a wonderful week it’s been here at Oak Therapies! 💚

Our goat walking sessions were a massive hit with our community members, spending time with the animals, walking alongside them, and connecting with nature offered such a beautiful sense of calm and regulation. 🐐✨ Animal-assisted therapy like this helps promote mindfulness, reduces anxiety, and encourages gentle social interaction, all while having a good laugh together along the way!

We also had a fantastic morning of creativity and connection, with both new and long-standing community members coming together to make signs and decorate pumpkins to take home. 🎨🎃
Creative arts and hands-on activities like these play a big role in therapy, helping to build confidence, improve fine motor skills, express emotion, and most importantly, nurture a sense of belonging and achievement.

These are just a few examples of the therapeutic experiences we offer here at Oak Therapies, designed to support emotional wellbeing, build skills, and foster meaningful connections within our community. 🌱

If you’d like to learn more about our services, please visit our website https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/. You can also contact us directly through our site, we’re always happy to arrange a free 30min virtual consultation to discuss how we can support you or someone you love. 💬💚

24/10/2025

🌿 It’s been an inspiring week at Oak Therapies!

This week, our wonderful occupational therapist Polly attended the Second Social Care Farmers Conference at Bore Place, a fantastic gathering of therapeutic farms from across Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, and Hampshire.

The day was filled with insightful discussions about how therapeutic farms are combining commercial operations with social care, as well as hearing from therapeutic schools about their important contributions to meeting current SEND needs.

A real highlight was hearing from a Dutch social care farmer who works with individuals living with early onset dementia, a truly inspiring and thought-provoking talk that Polly found incredibly valuable. 🌻

At Oak Therapies, we’re passionate about continuous learning and growth, not just for our community members, but for our dedicated team as well. We’re always exploring new ways to develop and expand our services across Kent and beyond, ensuring we provide the very best in therapeutic support.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the therapeutic services we offer, please visit our website 🌿 https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/

You can get in touch directly through our site, we’d love to hear from you and are always happy to discuss how we can help meet your needs. 💚

16/10/2025

🌿 A Week of Autumn Adventures at Oak Therapies 🍂

It’s been a wonderfully busy week here at Oak Therapies! Our community members have been putting their creativity (and foraging skills!) to the test, building a Monster Bug Hotel, complete with twigs, bark, and plenty of cosy leaves gathered straight from nature. 🐛🍃

In the spirit of Halloween, we’ve also been carving pumpkins and enjoying the sensory fun that comes with it, not to mention our herd, who’ve been happily munching away on the leftover pumpkin scraps! 🎃🐴

Between all the excitement, we’ve also continued our sensory circuits and dance therapy sessions in the sensory garden, helping our participants build confidence, connection, and calm through movement and expression. 💃✨

We know that many parents can feel unsure about how best to support their child - especially if they’re finding it hard to regulate emotions, communicate, or engage in daily routines. At Oak Therapies, we specialise in creating therapeutic experiences that nurture growth, connection, and joy for both children and families. 💚

If you’re wondering how we might be able to help you and your family, visit our website to learn more about our therapies and book a consultation. Together, we can explore how to support your child’s unique journey. 🌳

👉 https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/

09/10/2025

We’re thrilled to share that we’ve partnered with Boxley Riding School to launch our very first mental health support group — and what an incredible journey it’s been so far! 🐴💚

Over the past few weeks, our participants have been working closely with the wonderful equines at Boxley, discovering the powerful connection between humans and horses through equine therapy.

Not only have they been experiencing the calming and confidence-building benefits of spending time with these gentle animals, but they’ve also been taking part in a 5-week Horse Care Programme — learning everything from grooming and feeding to understanding horse behaviour.

The sense of achievement and growth within the group has been truly inspiring. Watching our community members build trust, develop new skills, and support each other through this journey has been a beautiful reminder of the healing power of nature, connection, and teamwork. 🌻

A huge thank you to Boxley Riding School for helping us make this happen — and to our amazing participants for embracing the experience with open hearts.

02/10/2025

This week at Oak Therapies has been bursting with creativity, movement, and connection!

💃 Our community members took part in dance therapy, building skills like coordination, balance, and motor control – while also supporting both body and mind. Dance gives our members the tools to express themselves in ways words sometimes can’t.

🐴 We also had a fun day of tack cleaning with a little help from the animals (they do love to get involved!). And over in Andy’s Shed, creativity was flowing – from making and decorating horseshoes to crafting lavender bags.

🎨 Creative activities are more than just fun – they are deeply therapeutic. They give space for self-expression, help regulate emotions, and support overall wellbeing. Even something as simple as aromatherapy with lavender can calm the nervous system and bring balance. 🌿

At Oak Therapies, we offer a diverse range of therapies rooted in nature, creativity, and community. If you’re interested in what we could offer for you or your children, reach out to us today – we’d love to welcome you. 💚 https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/contact-us/

25/09/2025

🍂 Creative Vibes at Oak Therapies! 🪵

This week in our woodwork creative workshops with Andy, our community members got hands-on and crafted beautiful projects, one even made a mobile Mario! 🌟 These sessions are more than just making things, they’re a chance to relax, focus, and express creativity, helping our members thrive mentally and emotionally.

Even as the temperature drops and autumn approaches, we made the most of the sunshine together ☀️ and gave our mud kitchen a lovely seasonal makeover. It’s one of the spaces our community members absolutely love using at the centre, and seeing it come alive with their personal touch is always heartwarming. 💛

At Oak Therapies, it’s about connection, creativity, and wellbeing - one workshop at a time.

Contact us to find out more: https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/

17/09/2025

☔️ Grey skies and rainy days can sometimes make it feel like the world is closing in… but at Oak Therapies, we know that healing and growth don’t stop for the weather. 🌦️

Come rain or shine, our herd and our team are here, offering children and adults a safe and special space to experience the power of nature and the magic of equine therapy.

There’s something truly unique about spending time outdoors with our horses in all seasons – the gentle presence of the herd, the calm of connection, and the grounding strength of nature. 🌳💚 These moments help our community members build confidence, regulation, and resilience, no matter what the weather brings.

At Oak Therapies, we believe every drop of rain and every gust of wind can be part of the journey – making the experience even more meaningful.

🐴 Come and discover the warmth, support, and healing that happens when children connect with our herd.

Fine out more: https://www.oaktherapies.co.uk/

Oak Therapies

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