With our Pathway to Growth transformative program, we seek to integrate Horticultural Therapy (HT) into the recovery journey of adults affected by Substance Use Disorder (SUD). By harnessing the healing power of nature, we empower individuals to rebuild their lives, develop new skills, and foster emotional resilience and social integration in a supportive, therapeutic environment.

It combines vocational training and social wellness activities as follows:

  • Vocational: Clients will acquire practical plant care and maintenance skills, enhancing their self-sufficiency and increasing employment opportunities.
  • Social Wellness: Group sessions and collaborative activities will promote communication, teamwork, and social bonding, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and foster positive peer relationships.

What are the benefits of HT for people with SUD?

  • Provides a structured, therapeutic activity that fosters mindfulness.
  • Encourages self-reflection, achievement, and emotional regulation.
  • Builds vocational skills for reintegration into society.
  • Strengthens coping mechanisms and stress management.
  • Offers a sustainable, rewarding hobby for long-term recovery.

Program’s Schedule

  • Sessions per Client: Clients will participate in 2 sessions per week.
  • Session Length: Each session will last 1 hour, providing enough time for in-depth engagement with gardening tasks and group activities.
  • Program Duration: The program will be ongoing 3 to 6 months
  • Ideal Number of Clients Per Session: Individual or 6-8 clients per session to ensure that each client receives adequate guidance and support because we do not currently have a big team.

Session Procedure: Activities

Our program integrates hands-on gardening, mindfulness exercises, and group activities tailored to enhance emotional and physical well-being

Bed Preparation and Digging

In this hands-on session, clients will learn how to prepare soil and organize planting beds for future gardening. Activities include compost turning, soil mixing, and setting up raised beds or garden plots. We’ll explore soil composition, amendments, and techniques to create a healthy environment for plant growth. Emphasis will be placed on teamwork, physical activity, and grounding. Clients will reflect on their experiences and share feedback, fostering collaboration and a deeper connection with nature. The session encourages responsibility, reduces stress, and leaves clients with a sense of accomplishment and readiness for planting.

Benefits:

  • Cognitive/Intellectual: Improve memory and focus by following verbal instructions with multiple steps.
  • Physical: Strengthen gross motor skills, balance, and range of motion through digging and movement.
  • Emotional/Psychological: Release aggression or anxiety through physical exertion and contact with soil.
  • Sensory: Enhance sensory tolerance and stimulation by touching natural materials and engaging in outdoor activities.
  • Social: Encourage teamwork, verbal communication, and supportive interactions within a small group.
View PDF
Watch Video
View PDF
Watch Video

Flower arrangement

In this creative session, clients will learn the basics of floral arrangement and design their own custom bouquets using gathered flowers. They’ll explore techniques for selecting, cutting, and arranging blooms with attention to balance, color, and texture. The activity encourages artistic expression,  and clients will reflect on their experience, share their creations, and discuss the emotions inspired by working with flowers.

Benefits

  • Cognitive: Follow instructions, recognize flower species, build concentration
  • Physical: Practice fine motor control, cut and position stems
  • Emotional: Achieve a sense of purpose, emotional release and boosts self-esteem
  • Sensory: Stimulate olfactory, tactile, and visual senses
  • Social: Share space and materials, engage in light conversation, receive peer feedback

Designed for all age groups and cognitive/physical abilities

Hydroponic Herb Propagation

Clients will explore the basics of hydroponic gardening, learning how plants grow without soil and discovering the advantages of this innovative method. The session includes setting up a simple system—mixing nutrients, placing plants, and monitoring water levels. Participants will discuss the benefits of hydroponics versus traditional gardening, share experiences, and troubleshoot challenges together. The session also covers system maintenance and care.

Benefits

  • Cognitive/Intellectual: Enhance problem-solving and sequencing skills through step-by-step activities.
  • Physical: Improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination with hands-on tasks.
  • Psychological/Emotional: Build empowerment and responsibility in plant care.
  • Sensory: Promote tactile engagement with growing mediums and nutrient solutions.
  • Social: Facilitate group discussions on plant care and personal growth.

Designed for individuals of all ages

View PDF
Watch Video
View PDF
Watch Video

Seed Germination

Clients will learn key techniques for successful seed germination, focusing on the roles of light, temperature, moisture, and growing medium. Using the damp tissue method inside zip bags, they’ll sow seeds and monitor early growth conditions. As seedlings sprout, they’ll transfer them to larger containers. The session emphasizes patience, observation, and care, while reviewing each stage of plant development. Clients will reflect on their experience, set personal growth goals, and track progress, gaining a sense of fulfillment as their seeds transform into thriving plants.

Benefits

  • Cognitive: Understand germination stages, follow instructions
  • Physical: Develop fine motor skills through handling tiny seeds
  • Emotional: Promote nurturing behavior, reflection, self
  • Confidence- Social: Group discussion and support.

Designed for individuals of all ages and abilities

Exploring the Five Senses with Herb

In this calming session, clients will engage their five senses using various plant materials, focusing on texture, aroma, and sound. They’ll feel different plant surfaces (texture: smooth, rough, and soft), smell herbs and flowers, and listen to natural sounds like rustling leaves, paired with mindful breathing. Afterward, clients will reflect on which sensations (textures, aromas, taste and sounds) were most soothing and discuss how sensory experiences can support relaxation and emotional regulation. This activity promotes mindfulness, stress relief, and a deeper connection with nature through gentle, sensory engagement.

Benefits

  • Cognitive/Intellectual: Use critical thinking and clues to identify herbs
  • Physical: Pass items, prepare tea
  • Psychological/Emotional: Relaxation and reminiscence
  • Sensory: Stimulate taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch
  • Social: Cooperate and socialize in a group setting.
View PDF
Watch Video
View PDF
Watch Video

Plant care/maintenance

Clients will learn key tasks for keeping plants healthy, including watering, spraying, pruning, cutting, weeding, harvesting, and pest inspection. They’ll get hands-on experience using tools like watering cans and pruning shears while performing these activities. The session highlights the importance of each task in supporting plant growth and encourages clients to reflect on their experiences and challenges. This activity promotes physical engagement, enhances motor skills, and fosters a sense of responsibility, confidence, and achievement through the ongoing care of living plants.

Benefits

  • Prioritize & manage time & activities; set goals related to completing assigned tasks; learn new horticulture skills
  • Physical: Maintain & strengthen muscles; improve balance, endurance & stability
  • Psychological/Emotional: Strengthen rational thinking skills; manage challenges; increase confidence in a workplace/training setting
  • Sensory: Improve vestibular sense of balance
  • Social: Strengthen mentalization of being part of a work team, working with others; recognize their role & responsibilities as part of a greater whole.

Designed for individuals of all ages

Leaf printing

In this creative session, clients will select different leaves to make leaf prints using paint or dye, exploring different leaf shapes, textures, and colors. The activity encourages sensory engagement through touch, sight, and smell while capturing the natural beauty of leaves on paper or fabric. Clients will reflect on their artistic process, share their creations, and discuss their artwork with others and how the experience made them feel. This session promotes creativity, enhances sensory and cognitive skills, and supports relaxation and emotional well-being through hands-on, nature-inspired art.

Benefits

  • Cognitive: Enhance creativity and artistic expression.
  • Physical: Improve fine motor skills through leaf handling and brush use.
  • Emotional: Promote relaxation and emotional well-being through tactile and artistic activities.
  • Sensory: Foster sensory awareness by engaging with different leaf textures, shapes, and smells.
  • Social: Promote interaction and discussion during the creative process.

Designed for individuals of all ages

View PDF
Watch Video

Bed Preparation and Digging

In this hands-on session, clients will learn how to prepare soil and organize planting beds for future gardening. Activities include compost turning, soil mixing, and setting up raised beds or garden plots. We’ll explore soil composition, amendments, and techniques to create a healthy environment for plant growth. Emphasis will be placed on teamwork, physical activity, and grounding. Clients will reflect on their experiences and share feedback, fostering collaboration and a deeper connection with nature. The session encourages responsibility, reduces stress, and leaves clients with a sense of accomplishment and readiness for planting.
View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits:

  • Cognitive/Intellectual: Improve memory and focus by following verbal instructions with multiple steps.
  • Physical: Strengthen gross motor skills, balance, and range of motion through digging and movement.
  • Emotional/Psychological: Release aggression or anxiety through physical exertion and contact with soil.
  • Sensory: Enhance sensory tolerance and stimulation by touching natural materials and engaging in outdoor activities.
  • Social: Encourage teamwork, verbal communication, and supportive interactions within a small group.

Flower arrangement

In this creative session, clients will learn the basics of floral arrangement and design their own custom bouquets using gathered flowers. They’ll explore techniques for selecting, cutting, and arranging blooms with attention to balance, color, and texture. The activity encourages artistic expression,  and clients will reflect on their experience, share their creations, and discuss the emotions inspired by working with flowers.

View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits

  • Cognitive: Follow instructions, recognize flower species, build concentration
  • Physical: Practice fine motor control, cut and position stems
  • Emotional: Achieve a sense of purpose, emotional release and boosts self-esteem
  • Sensory: Stimulate olfactory, tactile, and visual senses
  • Social: Share space and materials, engage in light conversation, receive peer feedback

Designed for all age groups and cognitive/physical abilities

Hydroponic Herb Propagation

Clients will explore the basics of hydroponic gardening, learning how plants grow without soil and discovering the advantages of this innovative method. The session includes setting up a simple system—mixing nutrients, placing plants, and monitoring water levels. Participants will discuss the benefits of hydroponics versus traditional gardening, share experiences, and troubleshoot challenges together. The session also covers system maintenance and care.

View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits

  • Cognitive/Intellectual: Enhance problem-solving and sequencing skills through step-by-step activities.
  • Physical: Improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination with hands-on tasks.
  • Psychological/Emotional: Build empowerment and responsibility in plant care.
  • Sensory: Promote tactile engagement with growing mediums and nutrient solutions.
  • Social: Facilitate group discussions on plant care and personal growth.

Designed for individuals of all ages

Seed Germination

Clients will learn key techniques for successful seed germination, focusing on the roles of light, temperature, moisture, and growing medium. Using the damp tissue method inside zip bags, they’ll sow seeds and monitor early growth conditions. As seedlings sprout, they’ll transfer them to larger containers. The session emphasizes patience, observation, and care, while reviewing each stage of plant development. Clients will reflect on their experience, set personal growth goals, and track progress, gaining a sense of fulfillment as their seeds transform into thriving plants.

View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits

  • Cognitive: Understand germination stages, follow instructions
  • Physical: Develop fine motor skills through handling tiny seeds
  • Emotional: Promote nurturing behavior, reflection, self
  • Confidence- Social: Group discussion and support.

Designed for individuals of all ages and abilities

Exploring the Five Senses with Herb

In this calming session, clients will engage their five senses using various plant materials, focusing on texture, aroma, and sound. They’ll feel different plant surfaces (texture: smooth, rough, and soft), smell herbs and flowers, and listen to natural sounds like rustling leaves, paired with mindful breathing. Afterward, clients will reflect on which sensations (textures, aromas, taste and sounds) were most soothing and discuss how sensory experiences can support relaxation and emotional regulation. This activity promotes mindfulness, stress relief, and a deeper connection with nature through gentle, sensory engagement.

View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits

  • Cognitive/Intellectual: Use critical thinking and clues to identify herbs
  • Physical: Pass items, prepare tea
  • Psychological/Emotional: Relaxation and reminiscence
  • Sensory: Stimulate taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch
  • Social: Cooperate and socialize in a group setting.

Plant care/maintenance

Clients will learn key tasks for keeping plants healthy, including watering, spraying, pruning, cutting, weeding, harvesting, and pest inspection. They’ll get hands-on experience using tools like watering cans and pruning shears while performing these activities. The session highlights the importance of each task in supporting plant growth and encourages clients to reflect on their experiences and challenges. This activity promotes physical engagement, enhances motor skills, and fosters a sense of responsibility, confidence, and achievement through the ongoing care of living plants.

View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits

  • Prioritize & manage time & activities; set goals related to completing assigned tasks; learn new horticulture skills
  • Physical: Maintain & strengthen muscles; improve balance, endurance & stability
  • Psychological/Emotional: Strengthen rational thinking skills; manage challenges; increase confidence in a workplace/training setting
  • Sensory: Improve vestibular sense of balance
  • Social: Strengthen mentalization of being part of a work team, working with others; recognize their role & responsibilities as part of a greater whole.

Designed for individuals of all ages

Leaf printing

In this creative session, clients will select different leaves to make leaf prints using paint or dye, exploring different leaf shapes, textures, and colors. The activity encourages sensory engagement through touch, sight, and smell while capturing the natural beauty of leaves on paper or fabric. Clients will reflect on their artistic process, share their creations, and discuss their artwork with others and how the experience made them feel. This session promotes creativity, enhances sensory and cognitive skills, and supports relaxation and emotional well-being through hands-on, nature-inspired art.

View PDF
Watch Video

Benefits

  • Cognitive: Enhance creativity and artistic expression.
  • Physical: Improve fine motor skills through leaf handling and brush use.
  • Emotional: Promote relaxation and emotional well-being through tactile and artistic activities.
  • Sensory: Foster sensory awareness by engaging with different leaf textures, shapes, and smells.
  • Social: Promote interaction and discussion during the creative process.

Designed for individuals of all ages