A Child’s Light Successfully Completes Somatic Movement Pilot Program ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’ to Support Youth Mental Health
The Flagship Group Program Integrated Non-Contact Movement and Somatic Therapy to Break Emotional Barriers, Build
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Downingtown, PA, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Child’s Light, a Chester County non-profit providing expedited mental health support for youth who have experienced severe trauma, announced the successful completion of its 4-week pilot somatic movement program, ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’. The program ran from July 22, 2026, to August 12, 2026. The group-based initiative combined body-focused activities with therapeutic reflection to help children safely process complex emotions.
Leslie Holt, Executive Director of A Child’s Light and David Barnes, lead therapist getting ready to welcome kids into the program
“I had the heartfelt opportunity to meet with parents who work tirelessly to ensure their children receive the therapy they need, and to listen to their deeply moving stories. It is a personal goal to secure funding for A Child’s Light to ensure this program endures, and I urge everyone to contribute to such a worthy cause,” says Elysia Simmons, a Kennett Township Police Officer. Officer Simmons also serves on the Board of Directors for A Child’s Light and is the Program Lead for ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’.
Breaking Barriers Through Somatic Movement
The ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’ program, which recently completed a four-week pilot and will expand to an eight-week format in future iterations, addresses a critical gap in early childhood support, where traditional talk-based therapies may not be developmentally appropriate for young children struggling with emotional regulation. By introducing physical movement, such as non-contact boxing, jump rope, and grounding exercises, children learn to recognize how emotions manifest physically in their bodies.
“I like to do movement, especially with young guys, because it makes therapy less awkward,” said David Barnes, the lead therapist for the program. “The movement is really just a way to break through some of the barriers that might be there due to nervousness, and it is a way to help them feel safe. As many people know, play and activities are children’s go-to language. So I’m using this as a way to talk to them about some of the emotional things going on inside of them, helping them sense what is different when they are agitated or have a lot of energy going, versus calming down and getting into a more regulated state.”
An Environment for Growth
The pilot began with participants receiving welcome materials such as welcome bags and T-shirts. Participants engaged quickly with the program and lead therapist, establishing peer connections within the first session. Consistent attendance and active participation throughout the four-week period indicated the program’s utility in fostering a supportive environment for therapeutic work. The program concluded with a final session recognizing each participant’s commitment and progress through the presentation of certificates, gift cards, and photographs.
“Many parents asked if the program would be returning and how they could continue this form of therapy for their children because, in just four short weeks, they could see a difference in their progress. To see the program finally come to life was really exciting,” said Tina Ayala, Community Outreach and Operations Coordinator for A Child’s Light. “It’s a great reminder of what can happen in a year and how sometimes everything comes together with the right timing.”
Somatic Modalities and the Upstream Approach
The prioritization of physiological regulation is intended to mitigate the autonomic nervous system’s hypervigilant response. This clinical focus aims to reduce the escalation of maladaptive behavioral patterns by facilitating the transition to a regulated state through somatic intervention.
“Somatic therapy, which connects the body and the mind, is an incredibly powerful tool for children who have experienced trauma and struggle to express themselves verbally,” said Leslie Holt, Founder and Executive Director of A Child’s Light. As the visionary behind the initiative, Leslie ideated and led the ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’ program from its inception. “When children are holding onto deep emotional pain, active play and movement allow them to discharge that negative energy and feel in control of their bodies again. This flagship program is another way we are going upstream to provide early, specialized intervention when children need it most.”
Funding Early Intervention and Expansion
10 children originally enrolled in the inaugural cohort, with 7 children actively participating in the sessions. A Child’s Light sponsored the program to fully fund it, ensuring there was zero cost to participating families. While the pilot program was centered in the local community, A Child’s Light plans to expand ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’ to other areas within Chester County and beyond to build a reproducible model for youth somatic care.
The launch of ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’ was made possible in part through generous grant support from community partners, including Chester County United Way.
How to Support A Child’s Light
To learn more about the mission or to make a life-changing donation, please visit the website at https://childslight.com. Support helps unseat trauma early and restore hope for children in Chester County.
Join The Waitlist
If you are interested in the next ‘Strong Bodies, Calm Minds’ program, reach out to connect@childslight.com to be added to the waitlist.
A Child’s Light is on a mission to serve children who have gone through severe trauma receive expedited mental health services.
About A Child’s Light
Founded in 2019, A Child’s Light provides expedited mental health interventions for children and adolescents ages 2 to 18 who have survived severe trauma. The organization connects traumatized youth to a network of over 100 private therapists, funding the first 12 therapy sessions to remove financial barriers to healing. A Child’s Light serves its communities with a mission to unseat trauma early and restore hope.
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