Horticultural Therapy and Social Work???

This blog is being created as part of an Independent Study project in my graduate course work in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. The topic of Horticultural Therapy (HT) is certainly not a new philosophy or therapeutic approach, but one with age-old roots that is being revived. Its' increase in prevalence and popularity may be in part to societal trends and efforts of living "green", the local and slow food movements, or maybe because it just makes sense. For me, it's the latter. I find that immersing oneself in elements of our natural environment can enhance and heal multiple aspects of self.

One may wonder, what does HT have to DO with Social Work? In my preliminary research I have come to see their innate connection. An examination of core values of both social work and horticulture makes their combination just seem intuitive. The core values of social work? 1. Service 2. Social Justice 3. Dignity and worth of the person 4. Importance of human relationships 5. Integrity 6.Competence
Values often associated with horticulture, farming, or work with plants include good stewardship and responsibility to the land, hard work, nurturing, patience, perseverance, and acceptance. I believe that the use of horticulture therapy while upholding social work values can have the capacity to improve multiple challenges and enhance the physical, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of any individual. Social workers strive to gain a holistic perspective of their client, and assess their bio-psycho-social-spiritual well being. We are obligated to remain innovative and resourceful in creating and applying intervention techniques. This may mean using a vegetable garden as a metaphor to teach life skills, or spending time in fragrant herb or flower gardens to decrease anxiety. Both of these suggestions cost very little, and may be a new approach that truly "reaches" a certain client.

There are multiple definitions for Horticultural Therapy, this week I will consider this further to develop a definition that has strong implications for a social work perspective. I encourage anyone else interested to please share their thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and resources on the subject!

Peas and love!