Event Description

Live Online Workshop

Capability levels: Evolving, Established

Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) is an evidence-based practice that incorporates gardening and nature-based activities into established therapeutic approaches to support mental, emotional, social, and physical wellbeing, and to build client capacity. 

This interactive workshop will demonstrate how integrating TH can enrich and enhance established therapeutic approaches to improve client outcomes across a range of social work and allied health settings. We’ll explore its alignment with person-centred and strengths-based approaches, and how it can enhance evidence-based strategies such as psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioural techniques, and skills training to meet diverse client needs. 

This interactive workshop will demonstrate how integrating TH can enrich and enhance established therapeutic approaches to improve client outcomes across a range of social work and allied health settings. We’ll explore its alignment with person-centred and strengths-based approaches, and how it can enhance evidence-based strategies such as psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioural techniques, and skills training to meet diverse client needs. 

The session will begin with an introduction to TH, outlining its core principles and benefits. Through case examples, discussion, and live demonstration, participants will gain practical, adaptable ideas to integrate therapeutic horticulture into their professional toolkit, supporting clients in ways that are restorative, preventative, and tailored to individual goals. The workshop also invites practitioners to reflect on how the practice of Therapeutic Horticulture and nature-based activities can support their own self-care. 

This session is ideal for social workers, therapists, and health professionals interested in expanding their therapeutic toolkit with nature- and gardening-based practices, and understanding how these approaches can promote both individual and community wellbeing. 

Who should attend?

This interactive online workshop is designed for evolving and established social workers and other allied health professionals who wish to expand their therapeutic toolkit through integrating evidence-based therapeutic approaches into practice through Therapeutic Horticulture (TH).

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the theoretical foundations and evidence base of Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) within the context of social work and allied health practice. 

1. Recognise how gardening and nature-based activities can enrich and enhance established therapeutic approaches to support mental, emotional, social, and physical wellbeing, and build capacity. 

1. Identify opportunities to apply TH principles and techniques across diverse client groups and settings to enhance client or group outcomes. 

1. Explore how to apply reflective, reflexive, and flexible approaches to evaluate and adapt Therapeutic Horticulture programs to support individual client needs, presentations, and goals. 

1. Understand how Therapeutic Horticulture can promote practitioner self-care, wellbeing, resilience, and sustainable practice. 

AASW Credentials: Mental Health (FPS); Clinical SW

FPS: Skills Training will be incorporated into a section of this workshop under a, b (I,ii, iii, iv) and e. (I, ii, iii) of Medicare schedule https://www9.health.gov.au/mbs/fullDisplay.cfm?type=note&q=MN.7.4&qt=noteID&criteria=MN%2E7%2E4)  

Please consider the AASW CPD Policy regarding FPS when logging your FPS hours manually:

In the event of audit, it is the member's responsibility to clearly demonstrate how this FPS training is relevant to the delivery of FPS in their specific work context. 

This Workshop is not recorded; however, you will have access to materials and resources on AASW Online Learning for 4 weeks after the completion of the workshop.