Learn how to use plants and plant-related activities to help people!
“Horticultural therapy is the engagement of a person in gardening-related activities, facilitated by a trained therapist, to achieve specific treatment goals. T he American Horticultural Therapy Association ( AHTA) believes that horticultural therapy is an active process which occurs in the context of an established treatment plan. Horticultural therapy is an effective and beneficial treatment for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.”
Horticultural therapy blooms as an emerging profession and a practice, offering many career opportunities. Trained horticultural therapists are in demand at schools/colleges, hospitals/rehabilitation centers, nursing homes/retirement centers, public gardens/parks, vocational/occupational training facilities, and even prisons/correctional facilities serving individuals with special needs. The principles, benefits and applications of horticultural therapy can further be extended to general populations.
The Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program at Del Val College, accredited by the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA), provides traditional and non-traditional students with unique educational and professional opportunities to benefit special populations through horticultural therapy as well as the general public through therapeutic horticulture. The program includes three concurrent courses in horticultural therapy with hands-on learning and two courses in ornamental horticulture. The professors can provide further supervision for students to conduct horticultural therapy activities with clients in order to meet the required 480-hour internship towards professional registration with AHTA.