If you’ve ever felt your shoulders drop after putting your hands in soil, or noticed how a few minutes of watering plants can quiet a racing mind, you already know something about why horticultural therapy (HT) works. But when we’re trying to explain this work to others, or convince organizations and funders that it’s worth […]

My horticultural interests (even before I found HT) have always pulled me toward herbs more than any other plant group. There’s something about their immediacy, their generosity, and their sensory richness that keeps me coming back. If I’m planning a new program or walking through a garden deciding what to bring into a session, herbs […]

When people start thinking about horticultural therapy (HT) contracts, the focus often jumps straight to logistics: Where can I work? Who might hire me? What should I charge? Those are important questions, and ones that this blog can’t really even begin to answer, but in my experience, they land much better after you’ve spent time […]

Starting out in horticultural therapy, or any self-employed therapeutic practice, can feel a little like wandering through a forest without a map. When I first began, I said yes to almost any contract that came my way. At the time, it felt like progress, but in reality, it caused a lot of stress, and looking […]

This blog post describes a day in the life of a Horticultural Therapist (HTR) working in a few different settings- and all the in between! For me, my weeks have taken many shapes over the years. Right now, I work across four different sites, each for a full 6–7.5 hour workday.

HT & TH at Evanmorr Acres- Farm-Based Horticultural Therapy  This fall marked the close of my first year facilitating Horticultural Therapy (HT) and Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) programming with the Nanaimo Association for Community Living (NACL) at Evanmorr Acres. It has been both the fulfillment of a long-term goal and a beautiful learning curve that has […]

One of the most common questions I hear from new and emerging HT professionals is: “How do I pay for all of this?” There are creative, practical ways to fund your horticultural therapy programs without breaking the bank.

This post is about thinking outside the (planter) box.

Most of us who come to this field have a moment of magic: the first time we hear the words horticultural therapy. For me, it was one of those “Wait, that’s a thing??” moments. And once that term crossed my path, the questions quickly followed: Why are there two types- Horticultural Therapy (HT) and Therapeutic […]

Why I’m Writing This Blog I often find myself looking for answers to questions like: What does a day—or a week—in the life of an HTR look like? How do we get contracts? How much should we charge? There aren’t always clear answers, and a lot depends on your own path.  This blog is my […]