the SAVOR project
socially conscious, science-based, & nature-infused
Category: Horticulture therapy and therapeutic horticulture
Life is like a bucket of worms
A statement perhaps more apt during this past year (depending upon your experience of 2020, your perspective on our creepy-crawly garden friends, and/or whether you’re taken up gardening during the pandemic). Worms are essential players in our soil’s ecosystem, improving aeration and breaking down… Continue Reading “Life is like a bucket of worms”
SAVOR digest 1-10-21
Beginning in January 2021, I’ll post a weekly, random collection of resources elevating a therapeutic connection with nature and/or food, along with behavioral health tips designed to improve mind/body health, drawn from current research, recent news, and my two decades of experience in the… Continue Reading “SAVOR digest 1-10-21”
Gardening heals
Still crafting one or two resolutions for the New Year? Don’t forget to consider time in nature – and specifically, tending to your own garden (no matter the size), as a healthcare strategy. Even if you’ve been gardening for decades, as I have, you’ll… Continue Reading “Gardening heals”
APA Explores Nature Boost
Check out this April 2020 article from the American Psychological Assocation, on the positive benefits of nature exposure. From its summary: “Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being. Feeling connected to nature… Continue Reading “APA Explores Nature Boost”
Additional resources for CHTA attendees
While I won’t include my full Powerpoint from this morning’s presentation, Digging into Our Food and Amending Our Soil with Mindful Eating, below you’ll find a few snapshots of slides we weren’t able to go into due to time constraints, highlights worth reviewing, and… Continue Reading “Additional resources for CHTA attendees”
Happening NOW – SAVOR Thursdays
Wow, two posts in one day! That’s a record. Read on for a new opportunity starting….tomorrow! Yes, this very week. As in Thursday, September 3, 2020.
Don’t miss the CHTA conference (online)
Hello, friends. If you’re interested in therapeutic horticulture or horticultural therapy – or just curious about why you feel so good when you dig your fingers into the soil or grow your own food, do consider attending the Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association’s annual conference,… Continue Reading “Don’t miss the CHTA conference (online)”
Beyond this bite: Mindful Eating, Food Literacy, and Therapeutic Horticulture
In earlier posts, I’ve unpacked the definition of mindful eating as it relates to our personal experience and the larger food system, briefly discussed the concept of food literacy, and encouraged us all to play with growing our own food – whether it’s on… Continue Reading “Beyond this bite: Mindful Eating, Food Literacy, and Therapeutic Horticulture”
Future horticultural therapy leaders?
Check out the following video as well as a description of the H.E.A.L.T.H. (Healing Environments Ambassadors Learning Through Horticulture) program from a post on Instagram today by the Chicago Botanic Garden. This kind of program gives me hope about the direction that horticultural education,… Continue Reading “Future horticultural therapy leaders?”
Mindfulness in nature – savoring color
I adore the color purple. Put me in a full-bloom field of lavender come July and I’m giddy with happiness. I’m continually impressed but not surprised by what we’ve learned in the field of therapeutic horticulture about the many health benefits available through our… Continue Reading “Mindfulness in nature – savoring color”
