Concurrent Sessions 1 | October 18, 2024 | 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Concurrent Session 1A | Models of Collaboration and the Intersection of Outdoor Education, Therapeutic Horticulture, and Horticultural Therapy in a Public School Setting
Description
Explore models of collaboration and examples of how TH/HT collaboration with partners inside and outside the school district work together to support innovative outcomes for students and staff.
Speakers
Hannah Ball Damberg, Farm Educator
Hannah (she/her/hers) was born and raised in Durham, NC. She graduated from Oberlin College with a BS in Environmental Studies and Geology and a concentration in Environmental Education. She comes with 6 years of vegetable production experience on three farms in the Piedmont area. At the Durham Public Schools Hub Farm since 2018, Hannah serves as a Farm Educator, where she manages 30 acres of pollinator and vegetable gardens, trails, and livestock; manages volunteers; leads and coordinates field trips; mentors high school and college interns; and more! Hannah is a NC certified Environmental Educator and is currently in the Therapeutic Horticulture certificate hybrid program at the NC Botanical Garden. She is excited about continuing to explore the intersections of mental health, differentiated learning, and the outdoors.
Greg Stivland, OTR/L, HTR
Greg is a pediatric Occupational Therapist who has worked in private practice and public schools for over 30 years. He currently works with students aged 3-21. Greg is the founder of Exceptional Gardeners which is a collaborative horticultural therapy program for children and young adults with developmental disabilities which supports social inclusion, acquisition of vocational skills, participation in meaningful occupations, and improved quality of life during and after their school career. He graduated from East Carolina University in 1994 with a BS, in Occupational Therapy. He received a certificate in HT through HTI in 2022 and became a Registered Horticultural Therapist in January 2024.
Concurrent Session 1B | Keeping the Foundations Strong: Applications of Nature-Based Wellness in Healthcare
Description
Session describes the current challenges of stress and burnout in healthcare environments. Wellness program recommendations are shared with a focus on nature-based wellness programs. Case studies from Legacy Health and NYU Langone Health are discussed.
Speakers
Matthew J. Wichrowski, MSW, HTR
Matthew J. Wichrowski MSW, HTR has been practicing horticultural therapy at Rusk Rehabilitation NYU-Langone Medical Center for 30 years and is currently Clinical Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine. He teaches in the Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Program at New York Botanical Garden, presents regularly at national and international conferences, and has won many awards for his work. Matt is also Editor-in-Chief of the AHTA’s Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture. His research interests center around the effects of nature on human health and wellness and his work has been published in a variety of media.
Teresia Hazen, MEd, HTR, QMHP
Teresia Hazen MEd, HTR, QMHP worked as a medical horticultural therapist for three decades serving patients, families, employees, and communities across Legacy Health’s Portland, Oregon metro region of 2.5 million people. At seven hospital campuses she managed twelve gardens. Specialty training in pediatrics, gerontology, psychology, education, addictions counseling, special education, horticulture, and curriculum design inform her continued healthcare and public health work. See her tools for implementing programs and best practices in Therapeutic Landscapes: An Evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces. Teresia is committed to growing healthier communities through nature engagement for all ages and abilities wherever we live, work, and play.
Concurrent Session 1C | Therapeutic Horticulture for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Collaborative Project with Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Horticulture at the University of Florida
Description
This session will follow the development and implementation of a research project using therapeutic horticulture as an intervention for patients of the University of Florida's Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Clinic.
Speakers
Elizabeth (Leah) Diehl, HTM
Elizabeth (Leah) Diehl, RLA, HTM is Director of Therapeutic Horticulture at Wilmot Botanical Gardens and Lecturer in the Environmental Horticulture Department at the University of Florida. She is a licensed landscape architect, master gardener, and professionally registered horticultural therapist. She manages and teaches an undergraduate certificate program in horticultural therapy at UF, conducts research, and runs therapeutic horticulture programming for diverse populations, where she coordinates clients, students, and volunteers. Her current research projects are exploring the effects of a structured therapeutic horticulture program on student stress and anxiety and also on individuals with Parkinson’s Disease and their care partners. Leah serves as a consultant and instructor with the National Parks Board and Ngee Ann Polytechnic, both in Singapore. She began her work in horticultural therapy in Chicago in 1993, and has given lectures, workshops, and trainings on horticultural therapy, healing gardens, and related topics throughout the U.S. and abroad.
|
