Great question, and yes, horticultural therapy is an "official" therapy, and horticultural therapists should be trained and certified in it. I tried it with my son who has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high-functioning Autism. He experienced an entire year (all four seasons) of this type of therapy and it made a big difference. At the time, he was about 9 years old and was doing the horticultural therapy along with physical therapy. It was really cool to see the way he connected with the plants and vegetables he grew. The therapy impacted both his fine and gross motor skills as he worked with tiny seeds and big tools (wheel barrow, shovels, etc.), as well as his sensory integration issues (walking on uneven ground, getting wet, dirty, muddy, etc.). Plus there was just the basic sense of pride and accomplishment that came from growing something that he could then eat and share with others (adding a human/social element).
From my perspective, I found it therapeutic simply to watch the joy he experienced in growing a garden.
So, yes, I'd say it's a great form of therapy. Were you thinking of trying it yourself or for a child?
Comment Reply
Great question, and yes, horticultural therapy is an "official" therapy, and horticultural therapists should be trained and certified in it. I tried it with my son who has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of high-functioning Autism. He experienced an entire year (all four seasons) of this type of therapy and it made a big difference. At the time, he was about 9 years old and was doing the horticultural therapy along with physical therapy. It was really cool to see the way he connected with the plants and vegetables he grew. The therapy impacted both his fine and gross motor skills as he worked with tiny seeds and big tools (wheel barrow, shovels, etc.), as well as his sensory integration issues (walking on uneven ground, getting wet, dirty, muddy, etc.). Plus there was just the basic sense of pride and accomplishment that came from growing something that he could then eat and share with others (adding a human/social element).
From my perspective, I found it therapeutic simply to watch the joy he experienced in growing a garden.
So, yes, I'd say it's a great form of therapy. Were you thinking of trying it yourself or for a child?
August 28, 2008 - 10:23pmThis Comment
Reply