What are Green Therapies?

Green Therapy is known to be beneficial for your physical and mental wellbeing. Being in the great outdoors surrounded by nature or even just sitting in your garden can make you feel good.

Sometimes Green Therapies can be known by other names such as Eco Therapy, Green Care, Green Gyms or Horticultural Therapy (gardening). It can be used to describe a whole range of outdoor activities and include conservation, wilderness therapy, animal-assisted interventions, nature arts and crafts, care farming or social and therapeutic rehabilitation.

It is not always possible for people to have their own garden in which to spend time. Some towns and villages have ‘community gardens’ or allotments which provide opportunities for people to participate in either group or private horticulture activities.

What are the health benefits of Green Therapy?

Green therapy can help improve both a person’s physical and mental health. Here are some examples:

Physical Health

• Gardening activities such as mowing the lawn, digging and weeding can help strengthen muscles to aid physical function and improve fitness and general health.
• Conservation projects such as path clearing, pond maintenance, and tree planting and trimming are often hefty and physically challenging. They require strength and vigour but some tasks can be modified to meet the needs of the individual’s abilities.
• Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) or Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) involves working with animals in a variety of settings. This could include livestock farming, equine activities, wildlife preservation as well as companion animal pursuits. Being around animals is a great way to keep us active and moving. It could be simply walking the dog or more challenging activities such as horse riding, grooming or mucking out stables, pens and hutches.

Exercise such as this can even help prevent some illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis and can ease flexibility in our muscles and joints.

Mental Health

• Conservation activity groups can offer the opportunity to connect with others, improving communication and social skills. Other benefits include reducing the feeling of isolation or exclusion which can often be the case with people who have a learning disability.

• Being outdoors and participating in Green Therapy activities has been known to reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
• Improved mental health through increased self-esteem, confidence and sense of achievement.
• Acquiring new skills to improve the chances of finding employment.
• Environmental Art projects can offer opportunities for self-expression, creativity and communication.
• Animal-assisted interventions involve being in spaces such as farms or come into contact with animals, spending time feeding, grooming or petting them. It is evidenced that contact with animals is beneficial in many ways including reducing stress, anxiety, grief and isolation.