Garden Therapy for Self-Care
While self-care can help with reducing the effects of stress, horticulture therapy (garden therapy) activities offer a fun and comforting way to achieve a similar outcome.
What is Garden Therapy?
Have you ever had a day where nothing seemed like it could go right? Sometimes the stresses of daily life seem too much to handle. While self-care can help with reducing the effects of stress, horticulture therapy (garden therapy) activities offer a fun and comforting way to achieve a similar outcome.
Horticulture therapy involves the interaction with plants to aid in strengthening the body and mind. Although touching and feeling plants has been proven to boost moods and reduce stress, the full effects of horticulture therapy are best handled with the help of a professional therapist. You can pair the act of planting, maintaining, and harvesting with therapy concepts that cultivate personal growth and resiliency.
Spring
- March 21 , April 4
Learn about securing planting beds and preparing the seedlings for planting.
- April 18
Learn the best way to plant a student garden with Dr. Tammara Soma, SFU Assistant Professor (Planning) and the Director of Research and Co-Founder of Food Systems Lab. What is garden therapy?
location_on Sessions will take place in Group Room 3 (MBC0307) & Embark Learning Garden – Close to Science Rd.
Summer
May/June – Planting 3-4 sessions
- May 6, May 20, June 13, June 27
Learn about preparing the gardening box, fertilizer and moisture, crop protection tools and planting the seedlings.
July/August – Maintenance of plants
- July 11, July 25, August 8
Learn to check soil temperature, water plants, fertilize, prune dried or dead leaves, provide protection from the elements and pests if necessary.
location_on Sessions will take place in the Embark Learning Garden – Close to Science Rd.
Fall
September/October – Harvest
- Sept 12, Sept 26, Oct 10, Oct 24
Continue maintenance, check plants for maturity, clip leaves from vegetables for salad, pick fruits for a snack, up root vegetables for stews and salad, harvest all the produce, clear out the bed, seed or plant produce that will germinate over the winter, prepare for winter.
location_on Sessions will take place in the Embark Learning Garden – Close to Science Rd.
To register, email the facilitator, Tricia-Kay Williams, at triciaw@sfu.ca.
Spring 2024
Thursdays | 2:30pm to 4:00pm
- Spring - March 21 and April 4 and 18
- Summer - May 6, May 20, Jun 13, Jun 27, Jul 11, Jul 25, Aug 8
- Fall - Sept 12, Sept 26, Oct 10, Oct 24
Location
Embark Learning Gardens & HCS Group Room 3
Tricia-Kay Williams
Tricia-Kay Williams has a BA degree in Psychology from the York University in Toronto O.N. and an MA degree in Counselling Psychology at the Adler University in Vancouver B.C. Tricia has extensive experience counselling individuals and families and is skilled in treating: Trauma, Anxiety, Transitional/Career and Relational issues. She is also an active community and social services professional who worked for some years as a Residential Youth Worker. Tricia is an advocate for anti-racism that affects BIPOC individuals and consults with organizations to foster a more anti-racist approach.