Course Spotlight - Horticultural Therapy

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MOST POPULAR COURSES – HORTICULTURAL THERAPY

Horticultural Therapy is another one of ACS’s best selling courses. 

The Benefits of Horticultural Therapy

Horticultural Therapy has grown in popularity in recent years, with more and more people realising the benefits.

Spending time in the garden is beneficial to our mental and physical health.  Nature helps us to relax, to exercise, to mediate, to breath fresh air. There are so many, many benefits to spending time outdoors. 

Spending time outdoors gardening can help people to –

• Spend more time with nature
• Relax
• Be active
• Socialise
• Exercise and burn calories
• Reduce comfort eating
• Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Feel positive after growing their own food
• Reduce stress
• Sleep better
• Improve focus and attention
• Reduce feelings of depression and anxiety
• Help people to maintain stability and a routine in their lives
• Absorb vitamin D, which is essential for us to absorb calcium and phosphorus, which we need to build bone

The garden can be a place of refuge. A time to find some peace and quiet and spend time with nature. There are also the obvious benefits to our physical and mental health.

You do not always need a garden to do horticultural therapy though. People can garden –

• With house plants
• Vertical gardening
• On balconies
• Join community gardens, gardening clubs etc.

Spending time outside with nature, with plants and greenery, can be an informal kind of horticultural therapy. Spending time outdoors is beneficial to us.

Clients

Horticultural Therapy is a more formal way of working with clients.

Horticultural Therapy is useful for many people.   For example, people with

• visual or hearing impairments
• mobility issues
• mental health conditions
• long term health conditions
• intellectual disabilities
• physical disabilities
• dementia

And many other conditions. Gardens can be adapted to meet the needs of different groups of clients.

Why Study Horticultural Therapy?

More and more people are recognising the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature. Studying horticultural therapy can be useful for a number of reasons –

• if you want to train as a horticultural therapist
• if you want to use horticultural therapy as part of your existing job role
• if you want to increase your career options by adding horticultural therapy as another string to your bow

Horticultural therapy can be used formally and informally in working with clients. 

Different countries require different qualifications to operate as a formal horticultural therapist, so if that is your aim, it is advisable to check.

Study Horticultural Therapy with ACS

The course is studied online or by correspondence. It requires around 100 hours of study and explains what horticultural therapy is and looks at -

• communication and counselling skills
• risk management
• accessible activities
• producing things eg. herbs, vegetable etc
• growing in containers
• creating a therapeutic garden
• generating income

If you want to –

• help people to improve their mental and/or physical health
• work outdoors and with nature
• work in a growth industry
• share your passion for flowers and plants with others

Then why not consider studying Horticultural Therapy with ACS? Find out more here  

Or contact us for more information.