HORTICULTURAL THERAPY


Minutes from our March 24, 2012 Horticulture Therapy Presentation
Attending: Bill Bross, Jill Byington, Peggy Kane, Carman Kuenen, Jana Lamboy, Leona Lauster, Laura & Jeffery Ouimette, Mary & John Purdy, Liz & Harry Schwarzw, Rochelle Smith
Presenting: Beverly J. Brown Ph.D., HTR
Associate Professor at Nazareth College – Biology Department
Director, Horticulture Therapy Program Bbrown6@Naz.edu
Beverly Brown talked with us about Horticulture Therapy: Putting the healing power of plants to work.
Many of us agree that working out in the garden with trees and plants helps us “feel better” whether we are doing it on our own or with others.
Horticulture Therapy involves several components:
plant
therapist
client/resident/member
set of specific therapeutic goals
Horticulture Therapy can be used in multiple settings and can address diverse therapeutic goals involving physical and occupational therapy, thought, and new vocational skills.
Therapeutic Goals might include: improved range of motion, increased stamina, reduced anxiety, increased sense of well-being, development of social skills, and development of job skills.
Diverse Client Populations:
Elderly
Veterans
Intergenerational groups
Addictions
Disabilities
Recovery
Incarcerated
Plants are added to speed up improvements.
What’s the biology behind this?
Remembering stuff – never the same twice - recoded with atmosphere
Unusual skill set: INTERWOVEN
Botanical knowledge
Horticulture knowledge
Landscape design
Psychology
Therapeutic skills
Program management
Communications/facilitating
Horticulture Therapy Registered (HTR) requirements
Bachelor of Arts or Science
12 semester credit hours in horticulture
12 semester hours in psychology
9 semester hours in horticulture therapy
480 hours supervised internship (within 2 years)
The Future of Horticulture Therapy
As the population ages > greater need for therapies of all kinds
American Horticulture Therapy Association will establish licensing
AHTA is working toward making HT a reimbursable activity as medical treatment
(recreation therapy/social work)
Future at Nazareth College
HT fits well with established programs in other therapies
Minor in HT
Establish a major in HT
Establishment of a certificate program in HT
Eventually available as an online program (with short time actually at Nazareth)
Currently split science and therapy
Construction at Nazareth includes plans for horticultural therapy garden and green house with the new math and science building
Plans include walkways, raised beds, specifics like tinted concrete, greenhouse with 3 bios, all spaces handicapped accessible with HT actions in mind, easy access between presentation spaces and greenhouse. Designed to distress and relax, variety of gardens surrounding the greenhouse for many uses including HT.
Examples of Horticulture Therapies
Nazareth College Aphasia Clinic
Survivors of strokes
Word recall
Task sequencing: “How to pot a plant”
Social interaction
Sojourner House
Shelter for women in transition
Making wreaths – creative, learning to persevere
Seeking Common Ground’s HERB HAVEN (Deborah Denome, President/Director)
Herb Haven is a program for women and children in transition from prison, drug abuse, and domestic violence.  The recidivism rate for Herb Haven is 25%. That means 75% of the women who go through the program go onto college or jobs and are out of social services systems. It costs $3000 for a woman to go through the program.

Herb Haven is Horticultural Therapy workshops to at-risk women and children in different situations.
Herb Haven is located at 4487 East Lake, Road in the hamlet of Crystal Beach, 4 miles south of Canandaigua, New York.Volunteers are always welcome!