Connecting with plants and nature is one important way we can all look after ourselves, and feel better for it.
Connecting with plants and nature promotes mindful living, is restorative, and helps to strengthen resilience. Simple activities like gardening, or a walk out in nature can help restore attention and focus, and be an effective way to promote recovery from burnout-related symptoms.
What is Horticultural Therapy?
Horticultural Therapy (HT) is a formal practice that uses plants, horticultural activities, and garden landscapes/ecosystems to promote health and well-being for its participants.
HT involves a broad range of services, settings, and populations and is generally practiced in a clinical setting, with a focus on measurable outcomes and/or improvement of symptoms.
HT sessions are facilitated by trained Horticultural Therapy professionals.
HT is goal oriented with defined outcomes and assessment procedures.
HT goals, objectives, and assessments are specific, clinical, and in some part pre-determined through interviews prior to therapy taking place.
What is Therapeutic Horticulture?
Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) is the purposeful use of plants and plant-related activities to promote health and wellness for an individual or group.
TH involves a broad range of services, settings, and populations, and may be more suitable when non-medical assessments are preferred &/or the setting is not appropriate for clinical interventions.
TH sessions are facilitated by a trained Horticultural Therapy professional, as this practice goes beyond a gardening program and involves guiding a client’s therapeutic relationship with nature and plants.
TH goals, objectives, and assessments are general rather than clinical.
TH goals and objectives are not necessarily discussed nor clinically documented, and they may be flexible, self-directed, and set at the time of the session.
Who can benefit from HT/TH?
Anyone, including
- elderly
- people living with depression, anxiety, trauma-related disorders, and substance dependency
- employees at risk for burnout
- at-risk children and youth
- people recovering from stroke, spinal chord, and traumatic brain injury
- developmental disabilities
- offender rehabilitation
I am employed as the Horticultural Therapist at Homewood Ravensview, a private 75-bed mental health, trauma and addiction facility offering evidence-based, medically-led, inpatient services for first responders, military, veterans, executives & professionals, adults, and young adults.
At Homewood Ravensview, Horticultural Therapy is one of the expressive therapies available to clients during their stay. Expressive arts is a field of professional theory and practice using the arts in an interdisciplinary way to enhance quality of life. In my work as a Horticultural Therapist, I integrate a variety of the creative modalities with a nature-based focus, including creative writing, and assorted arts & crafts activities like weaving. Interwoven, they offer a unique way to connect with plants and nature, express and release emotions, deepen and expand personal understanding and meaning.
I can provide a nature-themed expressive arts experience for your group.
Email Cliff for more information.
©Cliff Thorbes 2025
Cliff Thorbes, HTR, CCDP® 