South Natick, Massachusetts
Our Programs
Recreational Programs
We welcome visitors to come meet, brush, feed or simply hang out with the herd. We also offer the opportunity to take the goats walking in the woods or bring them out to pasture. Our curious and engaging goats ignore no one and, with ease, quickly show their innate ability to elevate and lighten visitors’ moods. Our goats love attention as much as visitors enjoy showering them with it.
Our recreational program is ideal for families, groups of school children or individuals who want to spend time with our goats in a farm setting. Visits are forty-five minutes and start at $25 with group discounts available.
Weekly programs offered for children ages 4-17. Please contact us for more information.
Half-day Summer Program
Our half-day summer program includes spending time with our friendly goats, learning about and assisting with their care, horse visits, forest explorations, nature crafts, gardening and a variety of games and other farm activities.
Registration is available for single or multiple days. Please contact us for more information or to register.
Days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
Hours: 9:30am -1:00pm
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Summer Bootcamp
In collaboration with Birch Hill Behavioral Health, Positively Goats is offering a Summer DBT Skills Bootcamp for high-schoolers. Each session will focus on learning and practicing the core DBT skills across all five modules - distress tolerance, emotion regulation, mindfulness, middle path/dialectical stance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Additional activities include mindful walking in Broadmoor's Wildlife Sanctuary, yoga and animal-assisted therapy with specially-trained friendly goats. Lunch, beverages and snacks will be provided. If you are interested please contact Birch Hill Behavioral Health to learn more and schedule an intake at admin@birchhillbh.com or 617-286-5002.
Vocational and Recreational Program: Engaging adults with intellectual differences and therapeutic goats
Positively Goats works with clients to tailor and structure an individualized program to meet the specific needs of each person by identifying and building on strengths and interests. Through a connection with animals and nature, Positively Goats’ multi-sensory approach and supportive environment promotes positive physical, cognitive and social development. Working in small groups, participants gain knowledge and hands-on experience in goat care and gardening while developing confidence in learning new skills and increasing social skills. Through engaging activities this program teaches vocabulary related to animal care and farming as well as practicing note-taking and reading. This program is offered at the farm year-round and in the winter as a hybrid program including weekly farm visits and weekly interactive online classes.
Activities include:
- Measuring out and preparing meals for the goats
- Maintaining an organized and clean barn
- Brushing, petting and observing the goats
- Participating in daily farm chores
Topics include:
- Life cycle of a goat and daily care
- The five senses - related to goats and humans
- Communication- goat versus human patterns
- Plant life cycle and gardening
Program goals:
- Gain animal care and farm experience
- Increase social skills
- Foster an appreciation for animals and nature
- Increase self-advocacy and self-determination skills
- Strengthen reading, writing and communication skills
Animal-Assisted Therapy
Our animal-assisted therapy program integrates ongoing individual or group mental health counseling with meaningful interactions with our animals. The reciprocal connections with animals encourage deep mind-body connections and self-reflection that promote personal growth and facilitate talking about difficult topics that may not otherwise be as accessible.
Desirable, lasting and positive change can result from the relationships between an individual, a therapy animal and a licensed therapist. These therapeutic and healing relationships are encouraged and can flourish in our judgement-free, inclusive and supportive environment where wellness and support are the sought after aims.
Animal-Assisted therapy has been shown to:
- Facilitate and promote transformative change, personal growth and compassion through self-awareness
- Decrease social isolation while fostering mutual respect and increased social skills
- Reduce stress and provide a respite from anxiety
- Decrease heart rate and blood pressure
- Reduce depressive symptoms and promote an increased sense of well-being
- Strengthen a connection to the self through a connection with animals and nature
- Promote a sense of accomplishment and an increase in self-confidence
- Strengthen social skills and empathy
- Move an individual towards self-actualization through communication, trust and kindness
Our therapeutic programs are ideal for anyone who wants to reduce stress and live with more ease, contentment and joy. The programs cater to the needs of individuals as well as therapists who may seek additional modalities to traditional treatment plans. We work with providers to tailor and structure an individualized program to meet the specific needs of each client or group. Our multi-sensory approach can also support occupational therapy through strengthening physical abilities. Animal-assisted therapy is also beneficial for people with developmental differences by increasing social skills, and strengthening physical abilities and cognitive development.