Concurrent Sessions 6 | October 19, 2024 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Concurrent Session 6A | Vista Haven - Developing a School-based Therapeutic Horticulture Program for Unaccompanied Youth

Description

Vista Haven houses and supports unaccompanied youth. This presentation provides an overview of the development and outcomes of incorporating therapeutic horticulture activities into school programming for this vulnerable, transitional population.

Speakers

Karen N. Haney

Karen Haney has an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and has worked for many years with people who benefit from specialized program services. She is a Registered Horticultural Therapist (HTR), UCCE Master Gardener and is certified in Permaculture Design. Karen currently oversees the Horticultural Therapy program at Vista Del Mar School in Los Angeles, and she is the Director of Education for Long Beach Organic, Inc. She recently developed and currently teaches the AHTA accredited Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program with UCLA Extension. Karen is also a certified massage therapist and maintains a private practice in Long Beach, California.

Concurrent Session 6B | How Embracing Seasonal Change Can Affect Mental Health: A Holistic Approach

Description

This workshop explores how embracing seasonal changes can positively impact mental health. Several content areas will be discussed, including ways to encourage our clients (and ourselves) to welcome these cycles.

Speakers

Ally-Anne Rigoli-Redd

Ally-Anne Rigoli-Redd is a recent graduate of UTEP with her MS in mental health counseling and a passion for nature-based interventions. She is working on her counseling license and is an aspiring horticultural therapist. Her personal philosophy is that a holistic, informed approach with biophilia at its core can be healing for all. She maintains that rather than using nature, ecotherapists are helping clients foster a life-long relationship with it and that this facilitates the recovery process. As an outdoor-enthusiast and avid gardener herself, Ally especially believes that connecting with nature is connecting with oneself. She is also a 200-hour registered yoga teacher, often blending movement into her counseling practice. Ally is currently in the process of moving back to the east coast with her husband, pets, and plants, where she will provide ecotherapy and apply for an AHTA accredited program.