Therapeutic Nature Designs




Approach

To create a sense of place. To work with mental health practitioners to create spaces that afford both independent and facilitated engagement by their clients. To design environments which support relationships - with our self, other people and the natural world.


Three Types of Therapeutic Nature Designs



1. Gardens for Psychotherapy
- Creating spaces within the garden where the client and the psychotherapist can do their work.
- Using plants and the season cycles of nature as metaphors for personal transformation.
- Creating garden spaces conducive to creative arts therapies such as painting and drawing.


2. Nature Environments for Dementia Care
- Creating enabling environments in which the location and uses of spaces are overlapped.
- Creating Edge Spaces that integrate indoors and outdoors.
- Creating landscapes that support participation by residents in routine domestic activities.


3. Sites for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (or Horticultural Therapy)
- Integrating structure and landscape for planting, growing and harvesting.
- Designing spaces for personal reflection, contemplation and solitude (secret garden).
- Designing spaces for social interaction and community involvement (cafe or garden centre).





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