About Daniella
Daniella was a fun-loving, spunky child until anorexia hijacked her at the age of 13. After a three month hospitalisation, Daniella was not healthy enough to return to a school structure nor to the friends whom she loved. However, there was one place where she found refuge - at a therapeutic dog kennel. While she had little ability to love and care for herself, she had an endless supply for the dogs.
Every morning without exception, she would spend three hours lovingly caring for them. In her protected kingdom, she knew what each dog needed, how to take charge, and she even instructed the vet. After a few months, it was time to integrate Daniella back into society. Her mother, Hadassa, searched for a therapeutic program which would absorb, protect and mainstream her back into her world. Unfortunately, she never found one suitable to her needs. At the tender age of 14, Daniella took her own life.
Beit Daniella is designed to provide for other teens who are suffering like her, that therapeutic, rehabilitative stepping stone. It was started by and is run by her mother Hadassa.
WHY CHOOSE BEIT DANIELLA?
Beit Daniella aims to empower youth struggling with mental health issues with skills and tools to transition back into their families, schools and communities after their rehabilitation process. Their goal is to help the entire family unit by helping and guiding parents in learning how to cope with and support their children (and themselves).
Beit Daniella serves non-denominational youth between the ages of 12 to 18 and runs from 8:30-15:00 five days a week.
Animal therapy plays a crucial role in the rehabilitation process at Beit Daniella and the participants' first responsibility is to care for the primary needs of the therapeutic dogs in the kennel on site at the centre. There is also horse therapy as well as individual and group therapy sessions.
The rest of the programme is dedicated to academic studies (aimed at building confidence and closing academic gaps incurred by illness, hospitalisation and/or the inability to function) and different therapeutic intervention groups.