The healing power of Horticultural Therapy
The healing power of Horticultural Therapy
At Rehab South Florida, we are always trying to think outside of the box, and find novel therapeutic modalities to facilitate our clients journey on their path of sobriety. Horticultural therapy is a tried, and tested practice whose benefits were first recorded by the “Father of American Psychiatry”, Dr. Benjamin Rush in the late 19th century. This practice was widely accepted in the 1940s and 1950s as an adjunctive treatment for certain mental illnesses.
The visual aesthetics of plants are known to elicit feelings of inner peace, which generates positive emotions toward a meaningful appreciation of life. Direct contact with plants guides an individual’s focus away from stress, enhancing their overall quality of life. Our goal, at Rehab South Florida, is to help our clients find new passions to help overcome their addictions and horticultural therapy has proven to be one productive modality.
As a part of our goal to empower our clients to take charge of their lives, post Rehab, horticultural therapy techniques will help to improve memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, goal setting, and language/interpersonal skills. Horticultural therapy also aides one in developing the skills necessary to work independently, become a problem solver and critical thinker, and follow directions.
Rehab South Florida has teamed up with Revolutionary Garden, a local company who focuses on growing organic, GMO-free, vegetables, plants, and trees. Raj, the owner of Revolutionary Garden, along with our Horticultural therapists educates our clients on proper horticultural techniques, the importance of organic farming, while also creating a garden rich in botanical diversity.
