Dr. Bree Conklin
By Marcy Anderson Sanford
A visit to Magnolia Harbor Carefarm is a balm to your soul. Nestled in the hilly farmlands of Powell, you’ll find beautiful gardens, majestic trees and winding paths that lead you to the gently flowing Bullrun Creek. Along the way you’re greeted by friendly rescued farm animals whose sweet nature can make the saddest of us smile. Based on her own experience with grief, Dr. Bree Conklin knows the healing power of nature and how profound compassionate bereavement care can be for traumatically bereaved people. In 2014 her father was diagnosed with dementia. Suddenly, she had to figure out how to balance being newly married, a graduate student and a caregiver as an only child. Less than three years after his diagnosis, he passed away.
A licensed clinical social worker with Doctorate and Master’s degrees, Dr. Bree was a clinical social worker for nearly 10 years and owned a group private practice in Florida. After earning her doctorate, she continued her professional education with training in compassionate bereavement care with her mentor, Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, founder of the first carefarm in the United States.
“A carefarm is a space in which therapeutic support allows clients to be in connection with rescue animals and nature and find ways to express the energy of their grief and trauma when there are no words for what they have experienced,” Dr. Bree explained. “Being there was very healing for me. I know the research behind the therapy and know that it works. After the training my husband, Lyle, and I decided to open the second carefarm in the US. Magnolia Harbor is a very special place where bereaved family members can come to both give and receive connection, compassion and understanding. All the animals on the carefarm have been rescued from abuse, neglect, torture or homelessness.”
Originally from Florida, Bree and her husband, Lyle, had fallen in love with Knoxville while she was working on her doctorate at the University of Tennessee and they began their search here for a space where they could provide care and healing. They found the perfect spot on a 23-acre farm with plenty of room for people and animals to roam and lean into their grief with layers of compassionate support. “Our mission is to provide sanctuary to all living beings and holistic therapy to those who have experienced trauma and traumatic grief and loss,” said Dr. Bree. “Magnolia Harbor Carefarm is the work of my heart turned external to the world.”
In addition to her specialized training in compassionate bereavement care, Dr. Bree also specializes in the neurosequential model of therapeutics, eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused and child-parent psychotherapy. She offers specialized care for traumatic grief through individual and group therapy which can also include guided meditation, contemplative reflection, nature-based intervention and human animal connections. The farm is home to more than 55 rescued animals. “Grief is so isolating and lonely,” said Dr. Bree. “Sometimes there are no words for what you’re going through, but we have created a space here where you can begin healing. This is the most sacred work of my heart.”
Throughout Magnolia Harbor Carefarm you will find special touches designed to help those with grieving hearts survive: a mailbox for letters written to loved ones who have passed away, a heart rock wall installed by faculty and students from UT’s College of Social Work and a tree canopy designed by a suicide survivor. Just last year, 535 clients came to Magnolia Harbor Carefarm in search of healing. Dr. Bree provided 3,000 hours of therapy, with approximately half of those being offered pro bono. She led 36 support groups including retreats for widows and their children and one for Powell Middle School students who had experienced the death of two classmates. “We have families from all over the US and Canada that have come to the carefarm. People talk about how safe they feel here.”
Going forward Magnolia Harbor has strategic plans to expand the capacity to serve the traumatically bereaved community and will be working alongside community partners such as the Widowed Parent Relief Project, the East Tennessee Foundation and the Lawson Family Foundation to make this possible. Magnolia Harbor’s Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board have planned several fundraising events for the Fall including the Festivity of Frens Gala on August 13 at The Relix and a charity golf tournament on October 15 at Egwani Farms Golf Course in Rockford. For more information about the events or Magnolia Harbor Carefarm visit www.MagnoliaHarbor.org.