VanDusen Botanical Garden
Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program 2012

The profession and practice of Horticultural Therapy makes use of the innate connections between people and plants by creatively adapting gardening and other nature-related activities to address the therapeutic needs of individuals and groups.

VanDusen’s Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program provides training for professionals to add Horticultural Therapy (HT) to their existing skill set, and for those wishing to pursue a career in HT. This program is ideal for recreation and occupational therapists, activity workers, counsellors, healthcare workers, teachers, landscape designers, and more.

Program Learning Objectives

The overall objectives of the program are for students to:

1. develop a wide repertoire of therapeutic methods for engaging with plants and nature,
2. adapt activities and gardens according to clients’ functional abilities and therapeutic goals,
3. develop a systems approach to HT, meaning a client-centered approach situated within a social and ecological context.

Successful completion of all four courses in this certificate program provides 2 points towards professional registration with the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association.

Program Instruction

Instructional methods are based on learner-centred and collaborative approaches. Students will actively simulate horticultural and nature-related activities adapted for clients with various functional abilities. Basic horticultural skills are developed through hands-on participation in a variety of activities within each course.

Classroom time will be combined with field trips and use of VanDusen Botanical Garden and its extensive library. All courses will take place at VanDusen Botanical Garden, 9 am - 5 pm Courses are best taken in order since topics build on learning from the previous course, but exceptions can be requested.

Instructor Shelagh Smith

The lead instructor is Shelagh Smith, a professionally registered horticultural therapist who has worked with a variety of client groups and healing gardens over the last sixteen years. She is a long time professional gardener with training in counseling skills and a recent Master of Arts degree in Environmental Education and Communication. She previously taught HT courses at Providence Farm, Langara College, University of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island University. She presently works for Vancouver Coastal Health. Shelagh is joined by guest instructors with unique professional skills and experience.

HT Course 1: Introduction to Horticultural Therapy (HT)

5 days: Sat & Sun Jan 14-15, Fri-Sun Jan 27-29, 2012

This course provides a broad introduction to the profession and practice of horticultural therapy and the client groups served. Students will discover the versatility and effectiveness of using plants, gardening and nature-based activities to meet therapeutic goals, and learn the basics of choosing client-centered activities from a myriad of options. We will situate HT within historical, social and ecological contexts, discuss a variety of program models, actively analyze tools for their appropriateness for various functional abilities and examine the professional registration process.

HT Course 2: HT Professional Practice

5 days: Sat & Sun Mar 10-11, Fri-Sun Mar 23-25, 2012

Using plants to establish therapeutically effective relationships with clients and between clients and nature is the essence of HT. We will explore HT professional practice in-depth, including assessing clients’ interests, needs and skills, planning client goals and objectives with measurable outcomes, adapting activities and tools according to clients’ functional abilities, using a task analysis process for effective program delivery, facilitating HT sessions, evaluating and documenting client progress and participating in a multidisciplinary team.

HT Course 3: Garden Design and Plants for HT Programs

5 days: Sat & Sun Sept 15-16, Fri-Sun Sept 28-30, 2012

Indoor and outdoor gardens and the plants that enliven them are essential components of HT programs. We will explore types and purposes of healing gardens and the design features and plants that make HT gardens therapeutically effective, as well as appropriate plant choices for HT programs. Students will be introduced to participatory design processes, the healing garden design team process, and post occupancy evaluations, as well as principles of ecological sustainability applicable to HT programs and garden designs.

HT Course 4: HT Program Development

5 days: Sat & Sun Nov 3-4, Fri-Sun Nov 16-18, 2012

Developing an HT program from the ground up requires specific skills and resources. We will consider how to develop program proposals specific to client groups and agency mandates, employ relevant research findings, promote HT services as an employee or self-employed entrepreneur, assess onsite resources, create a job description, manage financial aspects, identify potential safety issues, and incorporate community resources, including recruiting and supervising volunteers.

Pricing, registration and further inquiries

Cost per course:
$550 for Garden members/$580 non-members
Price includes all instruction, textbook, class supplies, and HST
$50.00 deposit/course required to secure position

Registration:
Download the registration form ( PDF, 118 kb) and fax to 604.263.1777 or scan and email it to schoolprograms@vandusen.org.

For more inquiries contact:
Education Department at 604.257.8669 or email educate@vandusen.org