Brain Break: Garden Therapy

Welcome back to the Brainiac Blog! Today I wanted to share a note on Garden Therapy with inspiration drawn from “Gardens that Heal” by Diehl, E.

“Gardens are a fundamental component of human life, and their design and use can tell us a great deal about the people who created them” (p. 168). Gardens have long been thought of as a place of refuge and healing, which is supported by the literature on this topic. It comes as no surprise then, that interest in gardens as a place of personal connection to nature has dramatically increased in recent years.

Since the Middle Ages, gardens have been used for their healing components in Western health care because plants offer a wide range of physiological and psychic benefits. While passive interaction with nature can be calming and have healing effects, active participation in the garden can provide more restorative benefits (p.171). With an increased interest in alternative therapies, horticultural therapy has risen in popularity and general acceptance in the research and field at large.  

TLDR take aways

Garden Therapy is growing in popularity and acceptance within the mental health field as a way to promote general wellbeing. Here are some simple tips for busy adults:

1. Put your hands or feet in some dirt, grass, or sand and take three deep breaths while focusing on the feeling of the natural elements on your skin.

2. Step into nature and practice being fully present for a few moments each morning to set your day off on a positive note.

3. Incorporate some element of nature into your work space to be able to ground and reap the benefits throughout your work day.

Be kind to your mind, Brainiacs- even Serabellum Superstars need brain breaks.