Concurrent Sessions 6 | October 19, 2024 | 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM

Concurrent Session 6A | Bridging the Gap Between Horticultural Therapy Treatment Practices and Current Trends in the Helping Professions: Results from a Collaborative Mini Symposium between Rutgers University and Oregon State University Horticultural Therapy Students

Description

As Horticultural Therapy continues to evolve as a profession, horticultural therapy practices need to continually be adapted and amended to remain relevant to the associated service systems. Students from two AHTA accredited certificate programs met to identify ways to adapt current HT practices to better align with existing services more seamlessly and discuss the issues AHTA practitioners currently face and propose solutions to address them.

Speakers

Mr. Gary L. Altman

Mr. Gary Altman is a Licensed Counselor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist, and Registered Horticultural Therapist. He is a Teaching Instructor in the Rutgers University Department of Plant Biology and Director of the Horticultural Therapy program at School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Gary is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Counselor Education and Supervision Track program in the Rutgers University Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions where he is researching evidenced-based practices for green industry vocational rehabilitation. Mr. Altman facilitates a green industry vocational skills training and supported employment program for individuals with disabilities on the Rutgers University Cook Campus in New Brunswick, NJ.

Melissa Bierman, MS, HTR

Melissa Bierman is a practicing HTR in the Pacific Northwest. Melissa has over 24 years of professional practice in horticulture and horticultural therapy. Melissa is an instructor at Oregon State University in the Department of Horticulture. Melissa manages people and patients in the health and wellness model of care at Central City Concern Primary Care. Melissa also works as a Horticultural Therapy contractor with her business Goodness Grows LLC since 2005.

Concurrent Session 6B | Cross-Cultural Collaboration for Optimized Well-Being Within 

Description

Via lived experience, team field research, and exchanges for multigenerational, garden-based programs, this session offers insights into vibrant collaborations within, with, and for people of the (very diverse) African Diaspora.

Speakers

Dr. Deidre Schuetz

A self-employed wellness consultant/coach (20+ years), Deidre facilitates cross-cultural, sustainable, local-to-global solutions working in integrated healthcare environments. She formed Illuminate HumaNature LLC (optimizing wellbeing with/for people and the planet; illuminatehn.com) and Nutrition Garden Rx nonprofit (optimizing urban gardens for health and climate benefits; nutritiongardenrx.org). Her academic credentials include Arts and Administration (MA), International Studies and Spanish (BAs), and certificates in Nonprofit Management (graduate-level), social innovation/entrepreneurship, climate and healthcare, mind-body wellness optimization, Massage Therapy (license), and HTR by 2024. She is trilingual (French, Spanish), lived 6 years abroad (West Africa 5 years), and is an American Community Gardening Association Board Member.

Concurrent Session 6C | Support for Climate Emotions Through the Climate Cafe: An Experiential Workshop

Description 

Experience, and learn to facilitate, a climate cafe, which is a simple, reflective, empathetic space where fears and uncertainties about the climate crisis can be safely expressed and held.

Speakers

Sarah Rawleigh

Sarah Rawleigh is a licensed clinical social worker with a private therapy practice based in Greensboro, North Carolina. For the first five years as an clinical social worker she worked with the Hispanic/ Latinx communities in central NC. Recently she has turned her attention to her own distress about the climate crisis and in the process of seeking support for herself has deepened her understanding of the psychological roots and effects of climate change and the strategies needed to cultivate hope and resilience. She is a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America and facilitates online Climate Cafes to help participants share their climate-related emotions and thoughts in the company of peers. She also facilitates Climate Fresk workshops, an interactive experience that teaches participants the science of climate change.