Helping Horses Help Kids & Others

Healing Connections

Healing Connections is a four-day immersive program designed to address the lasting impact of trauma.

Experiencing trauma can have significant effects on mental health including PTSD, Depression and Anxiety that impact daily life. Healing Connections is centered around the power of healthy relationships with ourselves and others to generate healing. This unique approach combines education about trauma, equine (horse)-assisted learning activities, and trauma processing exercises facilitated by a therapist in a group of peers with similar life experiences.

Who is this program for? This program is open to anyone over the age of 23 that identifies as female or non-binary interested in addressing their trauma. Participants will be asked to complete a series of assessments in the time after the intensive to determine to effectiveness of the program and be connected to a group of alumni.

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Who is PBJ Connections?

We are a team of Mental Health and Equine (horse) professionals that have been providing mental health treatment to Central Ohioans since 2006. We recognize that some people need more than weekly, hour long, talk therapy sessions to heal from chronic traumatic experiences and complex PTSD.

We want to eliminate barriers to participating in this program. Please reach out to Holly Jedlicka at Info@PBJConnections.org or call 740-924-7543 if you have questions or need assistance to participate.

What Makes it Intensive?

This program works best in a ‘closed container’ setting. This means we will provide overnight accommodations, food and all transportation after arrival for the four days of the intensive. Participants are asked to ‘unplug’ and turn in their phones for the duration of the intensive. This serves to eliminate distractions and focus connection towards the group. Our facilitators act as emergency contacts if a participant needs to be reached during the intensive. At Healing Connections we address trauma by also addressing the persistent patterns it has created in our lives this helps create relief and give us more choices in our lives.

2025 Schedule

  • March 27th –March 30th (This cohort will focus on the LGBTQ+ Community)
  • June 26th – June 29th
  • September 25th – 28th
  • November 13th – 16th

We are prioritizing filling the program in March at this time.  

Location

PBJ Connections - Johnstown
Taco Bella Office

3231 Burnside Rd, Johnstown, OH 43031

Cost

We offer this program to all equally regardless of ability to pay through scholarships. The total cost per person is $650. This cost covers transportation, meals, activities and group overnight accommodation during the intensive.

Thank you to our Healing Connections sponsor, Maria Calderone, for supporting this special program.

Meet the Facilitators

The two primary facilitators for this program are white women. We will have the support of other facilitators, alumni and peer supports that are people of color throughout the intensive. Some of our community partners are sharing this program with minority groups in an effort to help improve access to support systems and experience the personal benefits of models outside of traditional talk therapy. We recognize that as white people there are things we do not understand about the experiences of minorities and we hope to provide a safe space for healing within our program.

Holly Jedlicka, MSW, LISW-S Executive Director Staff 740-924-7543 holly@pbjconnections.org

Holly Jedlicka, MSW, LISW-S

Erica Lewis Assistant Director Staff 740-924-7543 erica@pbjconnections.org

Erica Lewis

Preshus Thompson, MSW, LSW Clinical Therapist

Preshus Thompson

Questions? Message Us!