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Rooted in biology
& psychology

With practice, anyone can unlock the mood-boosting & stress-busting powers of plants.

 

The Plant Space's therapeutic horticulture is mental health for the plant-curious!

Our guided therapeutic planting workshops have been curated to maximize your mind & body's beneficial responses to live plants. 

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Therapeutic horticulture reduces stress & improves mental wellbeing by taking advantage of the best evidence based practices from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), nature-based therapies, & mindfulness.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY

A common clinical behavioural therapy that teaches self-help strategies, CBT helps people identify & challenge those recurring harmful thought patterns that influence behaviours.

NATURE/ECO THERAPIES

From the stress-preventative practice of Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) to the gardening interventions of horticulture therapy, nature therapies use our responses to plants & animals.

MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUES

Mindfulness is being fully present in the moment without distraction or reaction to take notice of the state of your body, mind, & surroundings with compassion and without judgement.

therapeutic horticulture (TH) vs. horticulture therapy (HT):
 

  • Both practices follow the ethics & practice guidelines set out by the Canadian Horticulture Therapy Association (chta.ca)
     

  • Therapeutic horticulture is the intentional use of plants & activities using plant material to encourage health & well-being for a group and facilitated by a TH/HT professional. 
     

  • Horticulture therapy uses formal plant-based intervention to address an individual's health goals & objectives as part of a clinical treatment strategy. HT requires a registered horticulture therapist (HTR) to facilitate and assess.

Did you know...

The Stress Cycle & How to Break it

Stressor

Resulting Issues

low mood & rumination

impaired focus
& attention

limitations to memory &  learning

physiological symptoms 

Intentional Thinking

Plants leverage our evolutionary responses to nature & augment mental health practices

evoke positive mood & thoughts

restore attention & mental capacity

stimulate memory & learning

physiological relaxation

While we can't stop ourself from reacting to stressors, conscious thought & decision making stops this cycle in its tracks

choose one of these plants

Combining horticulture with mindfulness & CBT can significantly reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, or depression and restore your livelihood

Stressors triggers our automatic fight-flight-freeze response resulting in symptoms that lock us in a cycle of stress, anxiety, or depression

The Plant Space's guided planting workshops are curated to help you actively process stress, anxiety, or depression through elements of mindfulness & CBT, while at the same time reaping the substantial rewards from interacting with live plants. 

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