Eco-solutions: free Magnolia Therapy Program promotes mental health through nature interaction
The Gardens of Resilience is introducing a new program at the Hryshko National Botanical Garden– a magnolia therapy session. Guests can access complimentary psychological assistance through the garden therapy approach, which incorporates connecting with nature to enhance mental well-being.
Rubryka writes about this with reference to the "Gardens of Sustainability" project team.
What is the problem?
Amid warfare, mental well-being is often neglected and postponed. Statistics from the Ministry of Health reveal that over 70% of Ukrainians experience chronic stress, yet only 2% actively seek assistance from trained professionals.
What is the solution?
Motivated by this fact, the Gardens of Resilience project team designed a natural environment where individuals can actively engage in garden therapy to address their personal experiences. As a result, a "magnolia therapist's office" was established in the Hryshko National Botanical Garden.
Gardens of Resilience program promotes mental well-being among Ukrainians by utilizing nature-based therapy techniques. Although garden therapy is not widely recognized in Ukraine, the necessity to preserve the psychological health of the entire nation has become a pressing issue. As such, there is a need for a universally accessible and comprehensible approach to address this concern.
How does it work?
The authors of the Gardens of Resilience project draw upon scientifically proven evidence: nature has healing effects. Garden therapy can alleviate stress, enhance focus, and boost the production of positive hormones. Therefore, tending to plants is more than just a hobby; it is a therapeutic activity.
"Every Ukrainian today needs mental recovery. We believe in the power of nature and gardens, suppressed by the Soviet past and urbanization. The Gardens of Resilience project is designed to help communities find a resource by providing practical tools for the recovery of people during and after the war – first of all, children and military, and then everyone who needs it," Volodymyr Kadyhrob, founder of the Gardens of Resilience project, says.
During the summer, the team, in collaboration with the "Zemliachky" charitable foundation, arranged outdoor recreation programs for female military personnel. Their primary goal is to support Russian-Ukrainian war veterans in recovering their mental well-being through connecting with nature. This year, female service members also had the chance to explore garden therapy as a means of healing psychological trauma.
Gardens of Resilience has recently opened a magnolia therapist's office in the Hryshko National Botanical Garden, giving individuals the opportunity to experience garden therapy personally.
The team put a couch outside under Kyiv's sky for people to come to relax, unwind, and recharge.
The concept is that each person can discover their path to healing in a garden or park. Selecting one's therapy tree to sit, lay, or even shed tears under, helps to release anxieties and replenish the well-being that the harsh realities of war can never fully provide.
Gardens of Resilience invites everyone to a garden therapy session at 1 Sadovo-Botanichna Street, the Hryshko National Botanical Garden.
