What is Horticulture Therapy

What is Horticulture Therapy?

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Horticultural Therapy (HT) is a therapeutic activity that focuses on the therapeutic benefits of gardening. To understand the benefits of Horticultural Therapy it’s important to gain an understanding of its underlying principles. The therapeutic benefits that are derived from Horta therapy are considered to be based on three major principles namely, the integration of people into communities, the reconnection with nature, and the expression of creativity.

Horticulture therapy, also known as Horticultural Therapy, has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in patients suffering from depression, mental health issues, or those who have been victims of domestic violence. Horticultural therapy involves working with plants and gardens as a form of healing and recreational activity, as opposed to traditional medicine approaches such as psychotherapy.

This alternative therapy has another focus area of helping in the rehabilitation of mentally disabled persons.

There are many people in India who have a disability, who have a hard time going outside and experiencing nature. This is where Horticulture Therapy comes in. It primarily is a way to keep disabled people in a natural setting while they are not in a natural setting. It is a solution that will allow for an experience that they may not have had before. This therapy will benefit for mental health as well as physical health.

This form of therapy will also allow for a person to gain independence. This is very important for people with disabilities because sometimes they are just used to other people doing everything for them. This unique therapy practice would give them an opportunity to gain independence and be able to have the feeling of being outside without help.

Horticultural therapy is a way to create a space where people who are using various types of therapy including gardening, art, herbalism, and community service can focus on developing wellness. These programs can help people of all ages recover more quickly, improve their quality of life, and develop environmental stewardship.

Many social, emotional, and physical needs are addressed in Horticulture Therapy programs.

Horticultural Therapy – Who is it for?

Horticulture

This therapy is suggested through a routine that is very peaceful and relaxing. It aids a person to regain good health and a good mood. It’s additionally been verified to help those who have been grappling with diseases. Horticultural therapy can be used as a preliminary therapy, as a complement to other therapies, as well as a self-care practice.

In any cases, the therapy would be quite useful as it could likewise figure out ways to deal with your problems and additionally if you’re undergoing a regimen of treatment, this therapy would help you have comfort. Horticultural therapy is a therapy that doesn’t just have a benefit to the patient that itself could treat a medical condition, but additionally a therapy that can be a type of self-care.  

Some Insane Benefits of Horticultural Therapy

There are many benefits to horticultural therapy. One of the most important benefits is that it can help people with mental illnesses by providing a sense of purpose, have time outside, and a break from daily hassles. It can also help people who have difficulty in socializing, or who lack confidence in their ability to do so. Studies have shown that “horticulture therapy is an effective intervention that improves social functioning and quality of life for people with mental illness”.

Additionally, it can help people who are currently struggling with addictions such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and nicotine addictions. It can also help people who suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, and depression. There is also research indicating this treatment could help people cope with chronic pain.

The Developing Field of Horticultural Therapy in India

Horticulture Therapy as we normally call it having that much antiquity in the annals of Indian history. For a pretty long time, Gardens or Udyanas were playing a central role in the domestic or social life of ancient Bharath. It was quite natural here to nurture plants and trees of all genus including aquatic plants, hence Lotus or Kamal is India’s national flower.

As the oldest ever civilization that existed on the earth, Indian’s have a world view incomparable to other regions of the world. The scriptures and seers of Indian wisdom taught to be in tune or tandem with the Prakrithi, not against it. Everything we see or sense has interconnections and there is no ‘other’ here as some others articulated.

So, naturally, as Indians, the plants, the greenery around us is an integral part of our daily life. We are having a bondage that cannot be broken by some other ideas.

Our ecological culture is so sane that our people got natural healing without terming as a therapy, as we now do.

In India, horticultural therapy is used to help those with mental health issues that affect their interactions with others, such as anxiety or depression. They are also used to help those with a range of physical disabilities, mental health issues, and unexplained health problems. Horticulture therapy is important for those who have suffered traumatic experiences because it allows the patient to feel productive instead of using medication alone. It offers techniques to learn active listening skills, how to be more patient, express emotion, describe situations, and distinguish their needs from others’.

Several Universities and NGOs have started functioning in this area several years ago in India. Kerala University is an example worth to mention.

How does Horticulture Therapy treat?

When we nurture a plant or a garden as a whole, people want to be part of it and connect with the garden. They feel connected and nurtured by the soil and what grows out of it. One problem we face with the younger generation is their lack of awareness and lack of care for the environment and the world we live in. Sometimes even the older generations, like our elders and seniors, don’t feel this connection and that’s how we should try to change their perspective and start to nurture the younger generation.

Horticulture therapy is an activity which your elders will love. People look for connection and often forget to nurture their own soul. You can introduce gardening to your elders and even if they don’t feel connected to the world, they might start to feel connected to their soul. The feeling of bounty from gardening is surprising sometimes.

See if you can get your elders involved in gardening or taking care of plants. Take them through a garden visit or a botanical garden. In India, we have over 41 botanical gardens. We have gardens in almost every state, although it depends on the government of that era. We shouldn’t forget India has a rich history and tradition of gardens and gardening and we shouldn’t forget this. We should try and pass on this tradition to the younger generation and we should try and give them the opportunities we had. 

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Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that horticulture therapy helps people to get rid of their addiction and for that they need to be provided a safe environment and get proper restrictions for using drugs or booze. This branch of the therapy for mental well-being and energized brain system is having a brighter future ahead in India, for sure.

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