Do you like to garden?
PsyCare staff from the Cortland and Howland Clinics recently planted a community vegetable and herb garden on the grounds of the Cortland Clinic!
This PsyCare staff effort offers patients the experience of gardening as a therapeutic activity: from planting and maintenance to harvesting!
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Cortland Clinic Director, Michael Heilman, Ph.D., said, “This is one way PsyCare can connect with members of our community.”
Clincians who participated in creating and/or planting the community garden are:
PsyCare’s Community Garden includes:
Veggies:
Herbs:
Horticultural therapy (therapeutic gardening) is defined by the American Horticultural Therapy Association as the engagement of a person in gardening and plant-based activities, facilitated by a trained therapist, to achieve specific therapeutic treatment goals.
Horticultural therapy is a time-proven practice. The therapeutic benefits of garden environments have been documented since ancient times.
Gardening can reduce stress and mental clarity while also helping to prevent everything from coronary disease to colon cancer. Gardening in particular is associated with mental clarity and feelings of reward, and it has many physical benefits as well.
If you would like to experience therapeutic gardening, contact our Cortland Clinic at (330) 637-8668
*Special thanks to Kendra Beach for providing the information on Horticulture therapy.