Home Farm Alumni News

Cindy Brookshaw, Brantford, Ontario

I started down the road to the garden path when my husband asked me to consider quitting my full time position.  This took a great deal of soul searching and deliberation.  Finally, I came to the conclusion that my own family would benefit.  I was encouraged to do something that set my heart on fire, something that I had never had the time to pursue in the past.  This led me to the Brantford Garden Club, where at my first meeting Nancy Lee-Colibaba was presenting on Horticulture Therapy.

Early in March, with the encouragement of one of the teachers, I submitted a proposal to create a horticulture program.  I initially gave the proposal to this teacher to read and to spread the word to her colleagues.  She gave it to the principal the following week.  A couple weeks passed before I had the opportunity and courage to drop by the principal’s office.  Much to my surprise he had the proposal on his desk at his fingertips!  He had obviously thoroughly reviewed the contents as he had jotted notes and questions in the margin.  He felt the proposal was well written, easily understood and he would be taking it to the next board meeting.  He presented the proposal several times.  It was well received at each meeting, however, some members required re-assurance that the horticulture program would compliment the curriculum not provide new material.  I was thrilled to receive the call that the proposal was accepted and could commence as a 12 week pilot program in September 2009.   There are already a list of individuals who are interested!

Margaret Vallieres, Kingston, Ontario

All levels seem to be on the same environmental page lately, which makes the situation ripe for Horticultural Therapy (HT). I am one of Christine Pollard’s students in the new online HT certification program. We have just finished the second course, and I am finding more encouragement all the time to continue the program and apply Horticultural Therapy principles. My first success was actually finding that HT existed in Canada. The CHTA website did a great job there. Next was Christine’s program online. Online has allowed me to work through the program without the need for travel. I have even found financial sponsorship for the courses. Now I have also been approved into a multi-level government program to turn what I have into a business through the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit.

To be approved into this program, I needed to have a clear business idea, Horticultural Therapist for me of course. Then it had to go through the levels of scrutiny (jumping through the hoops).  Was I EI eligible or reach back eligible? Yes. Did I have a clear business idea? Yes. Did my employment counselor agree to this as part of a return to work plan? Yes.  Did a panel of local businesspersons agree that this was a viable business idea? Yes. Was the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities on board with the idea? Yes. I am convinced that the timing for horticultural proposals is right. Federal, provincial and municipal departments and individuals have all voiced their support for a Horticultural Therapist in the community.

So, this Tuesday I start 40 weeks of support from Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) with a 4 week in class session to get familiar with the administrative functions of a business. This is an Ontario program, but I would encourage others to look into their provincial counterparts. The different avenues for Horticultural Therapists to work in make it even easier to build a career that utilizes personal experience and skills. I am looking forward to working alongside other Horticultural Therapists to present a confident and professional vision of using Horticultural to support participants in their personal goals.  It is really an exciting time for HT.

By Tami Proctor, HTR in Dundas, Ontario.

“Nature at its Best” – My Garden 2008

My journey into Horticultural Therapy began with a magazine I received for Christmas in 2001.  In this magazine, an article about Horticultural Therapy quite literally changed my life! Prior to this magazine, I had never heard of Horticultural Therapy and had no clue what it was.   In the moment of reading that article, I felt as though I had been struck by lightening!  With a certainty so clear, I knew that I had to do this professionally for the rest of my career.  But how…? I had no clue where to begin.

I forged my way ahead regardless of knowing what I was doing and learned along the way. I connected with the right organizations, took every course I could take and read everything I could get my hands on!  I think eight years later I am still forging my way ahead and creating the career I feel most reflects the way I wish to practice Horticultural Therapy.

When I first began my practice, I started with volunteering in Horticultural Therapy and introducing horticulture programming into my practice as a Recreation Therapist.  I was offered an opportunity to practice Horticulture Therapy one day per week but how would I do that if I were working as a Recreation Therapist?  I had to decide if I should take the leap.  I needed to believe in my skill and myself and jump!  I leapt and I have never looked back!  The net appeared and the opportunities have been remarkable!  I am now currently self-employed, contracting out my services as a Horticultural Therapist.  I have three contracts and work four days per week, and have begun teaching Horticultural Therapy to others.  Did I ever think that I would get to this point, certainly not when I first began my journey into HT.  If I had to think about all of the points that I needed to gain in order to receive my designation as a registered horticultural therapist, I do not think that I would have been able to move forward.   I would have been crippled by the amount of work that I needed to achieve.  So instead, I kept my focus on the smaller picture, I kept chipping away, learning more, getting more work.

I did eventually get to my destination of receiving my designation as an HTR but 6 years after I had read that article!  In my case, it was both the journey and the destination that were equally important. My message to those in the process of obtaining their designation, don’t give up!  Keep plugging away, and take the leap!  Your belief in yourself and your skill is the key to others believing you to be a quality Horticultural Therapist.  The journey is just as important as the destination enjoy your journey!