Consultations, Seminars & Programs
by Hank Bruce & Tomi Jill Folk
Consultations
We are available for on site consultations with your staff and/or management to provide assistance in planning and implementing therapeutic gardening programs, making existing programs more productive, helping to provide accessibility and assure safety. Contact Hank & Tomi for details and fees.
Seminars and programs
These explore some of the ways we can all be a part of the healing of ourselves, our families, our neighborhood, our community and the world. Most of these programs are interactive and hands-on. Professionals, volunteers, families and individuals can benefit from being a part of these. Fees for these programs vary with the location, number of participants and activities to be included.
We offer these for educators, activity and health care professionals, clergy, and community leaders, family and professional caregivers, volunteers and master gardeners to these sessions. We are available for speaking at conferences, trade shows and community events. The following is a partial list of the programs we offer. We encourage the use of these programs as a fundraising opportunity for senior care communities, schools, service agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses.
You provide the venue and participants, we will do the rest. These are great programs for your staff, community and family. We explore a number of aspects of the people-plant connection in a hands-on, experiential manner with opportunities to engage in discussion. We can link these programs to consultations at your location. Many have hosted these programs for the community and charged a fee to participants, using it as a fund raising event. We ask for the opportunity to do a book signing either during a break or at the end of the program. Beyond central New Mexico, but within the continental United States we ask that travel and lodging be provided.
Seminars and programs
These explore some of the ways we can all be a part of the healing of ourselves, our families, our neighborhood, our community and the world. Most of these programs are interactive and hands-on. Professionals, volunteers, families and individuals can benefit from being a part of these. Fees for these programs vary with the location, number of participants and activities to be included.
We offer these for educators, activity and health care professionals, clergy, and community leaders, family and professional caregivers, volunteers and master gardeners to these sessions. We are available for speaking at conferences, trade shows and community events. The following is a partial list of the programs we offer. We encourage the use of these programs as a fundraising opportunity for senior care communities, schools, service agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses.
You provide the venue and participants, we will do the rest. These are great programs for your staff, community and family. We explore a number of aspects of the people-plant connection in a hands-on, experiential manner with opportunities to engage in discussion. We can link these programs to consultations at your location. Many have hosted these programs for the community and charged a fee to participants, using it as a fund raising event. We ask for the opportunity to do a book signing either during a break or at the end of the program. Beyond central New Mexico, but within the continental United States we ask that travel and lodging be provided.
8 Hour Interactive Seminars
Dirty Hands and Active Minds
An interactive, hands-on 8hr program for activity professionals, senior care and adult day care staff and administration, educators, clergy, community and social service personnel and individuals and families. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of this program.
It covers:
Gardening as a therapeutic tool
The healing garden, bot active and passive
Empowerment
Sensory stimulation, mental exercise, physical engagement and socialization
Elder wisdom and multi-generational activities
Designing and implementing a therapeutic gardening program
Alzheimer’s with a Green Thumb
An 8 hr hands-on interactive program with a focus on seniors with Alzheimer’s and other form of dementia. Ideal for adult day care and senior care professionals, activity directors, administration, volunteers, clergy, family and professional caregivers, and relatives. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of this program.
It covers:
Passive and active garden settings
Indoor and outdoor garden activities
Integrating the garden into the daily routine
The Scratch& Sniff Garden, sensory experiences, and beyond the physical senses
Sensory roundtables
How the garden can affect depression, anger and frustration
Sharing stories
Value of memory triggers and new discoveries
Dirty Hands and Active Minds
An interactive, hands-on 8hr program for activity professionals, senior care and adult day care staff and administration, educators, clergy, community and social service personnel and individuals and families. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of this program.
It covers:
Gardening as a therapeutic tool
The healing garden, bot active and passive
Empowerment
Sensory stimulation, mental exercise, physical engagement and socialization
Elder wisdom and multi-generational activities
Designing and implementing a therapeutic gardening program
Alzheimer’s with a Green Thumb
An 8 hr hands-on interactive program with a focus on seniors with Alzheimer’s and other form of dementia. Ideal for adult day care and senior care professionals, activity directors, administration, volunteers, clergy, family and professional caregivers, and relatives. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of this program.
It covers:
Passive and active garden settings
Indoor and outdoor garden activities
Integrating the garden into the daily routine
The Scratch& Sniff Garden, sensory experiences, and beyond the physical senses
Sensory roundtables
How the garden can affect depression, anger and frustration
Sharing stories
Value of memory triggers and new discoveries
Gardening as Therapy Mini-Seminars
with Hank Bruce & Tomi Jill Folk
Time spent in the garden isn’t work, it’s therapy.
Each of these programs consists of between 90 and 120 minutes of discussion, demonstration and introduction to plant materials, activities and take home information sheets. Most will include a hands-on, take-home project.
Introducing Gardening as Therapy, (The short, short introduction to the field of therapeutic gardening )
All gardening is therapeutic. Horticultural therapy is a field of professional study with practitioners who use plants and garden related activities in senior care facilities, schools, domestic violence programs, victims of trauma, with drug & alcohol treatment programs, at risk youth, and many other "special populations." But it also has application in the workplace, the home, and families with special needs children or frail elders. We will explore ways that the people-plant connection can be beneficial, in both active and passive applications. We will discuss the value in the people-plant connection physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Opportunity Garden
Everyone can benefit from the people-plant connection, including those recovering from surgery, cancer patients, those on hospice, family and professional caregivers. Age makes no difference, children and centarians can make discoveries in the garden. This program explores creative ways to use the garden most effectively, to soothe, comfort, reassure, empower and inspire.
Horticultural Therapy for Aging Parents and Their Family Caregivers
Our parents and grandparents have lived through a great deal of history, have acquired much wisdom and collected a treasure trove of stories. But now they are forced to surrender independence, responsibility, and the traditional role on the family. But with plants and related activities memories can be triggered, exercise can be self paced, each day can begin with discoveries in the garden, even if it is only a potted plant on the windowsill. Nurturing is empowering, and with plant projects depression can be reduced, blood pressure lowered and stories shared.
Horticultural Therapy for Families with Special Needs Children
The opportunity to be with plants, to nurture, stimulate the senses and experience success are all gifts from the garden, even the windowsill garden. But to often we focus on the limitations, the disabilities, be they physical, mental or emotional. But in the companionship of plants we concentrate on the possibilities, we celebrate the smiles, and share the discoveries that grow before us. In the garden all of our children can be empowered. Ideal for parents, grandparents, siblings and extended family.
Horticultural Therapy, Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Introducing Sensory Round Tables hands-on activities and the value of a good story, well told and well heard, for activity and senior care professionals. Families, clergy, educators, activity and health care professionals, are also invited.
Windowsill Whimsy
A great winter adventure in finding or designing unique planters that can bring a smile to one’s face and gladden the heart as a new plant friend gets adopted. Suitable for families of all ages, including grandparents and the grandchildren or grandfriends.There will be a hands-on, take home project.Based on the new book of the same title by Hank Bruce & Tomi Jill Folk.
Hosting a Flower Shoe
This is a simple project that can be a lot of fun for senior care facilities, schools, community programs and neighborhoods and families. Civic groups can even use it as a fund raiser. Each participant is asked to bring an old shoe, boot or other footwear that they are willing to turn into a planter. Originality counts, and so does a sense of humor.
Sensory Gardens & Sensory Roundtables
Sensory gardens are a basic part of many horticultural therapy programs for elders, Alzheimer’s patients, special needs children and many others. It is so much more than an herb garden. We will explore ways to use aromatic and flowering plants and plant materials with unique texture for sensory stimulation.
Finding Comfort & Joy in the Garden
Indoors and Out. Stress is a killer, but the connection between people and plants can be the healer. In this program we will explore how we can use time in the garden, even if that garden is only a potted plant on your windowsill, as a focal point for meditation, contemplation, prayer or simply "down time." We will explore ways to replace stress with comfort and cultivate our creative self by letting go, and lowering blood pressure in th process.
Gardening with a Higher Purpose
This world has a lot of problems, hunger, the environment, pollution, anger, conflict, homelessness, and many others, but we are the solution. We can work together as families, neighborhoods and communities to not only feed the hungry but help them grow their own sustenance. We can heal the environment by learning about, growing, and planting native trees, shrubs and other plants in our own yards and beyond. Together we can work to make community gardens accessible. We can cultivate smiles and harvest peace.
Feeding a Hungry World, in the 21st Century
We are all a Part of the Solution Hunger is one of the chronic problems this world faces. Even here in New Mexico we have neighbors who don’t know where the next meal is coming from. But we can help develop accessible community gardens, provide the means for families to rediscover the kitchen or dooryard garden as a means of improving nutrition. In the process we can build stronger families and a healthier next generation.
Creating Accessible Community & Neighborhood Gardens
There are thousands of community gardens in this country, but less than 10% are wheelchair accessible. There are so many simple ways to make our community & botanical gardens and home gardens functional for those of us who use wheelchairs, are vision or mobility challenged, or know first hand the ravages of time.
Miracle of the Moringa Tree
This can be an interactive program with children performing the story of a tree that is saving thousands of lives around the world where hunger and unsafe drinking water are everyday threats. We even provide our famous Moringa/Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies if requested.
Gardening in the Workplace
When we provide opportunities to garden in the workplace we can improve the quality of the air we breathe, reduce stress, improve productivity, decrease absenteeism and improve morale. It can be one of the least costly ways we can improve attitude and productivity. We discuss ways to promote gardening activities among employees and how it benefits.
On-Going HT Programs at Your Site
Hank Bruce is available for a limited number of on-going periodic programs at local sites. These can be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly visits to work with clients in hands-on projects and activities. Contact Hank for more information. These periodic programs are available in central New Mexico only.
with Hank Bruce & Tomi Jill Folk
Time spent in the garden isn’t work, it’s therapy.
Each of these programs consists of between 90 and 120 minutes of discussion, demonstration and introduction to plant materials, activities and take home information sheets. Most will include a hands-on, take-home project.
Introducing Gardening as Therapy, (The short, short introduction to the field of therapeutic gardening )
All gardening is therapeutic. Horticultural therapy is a field of professional study with practitioners who use plants and garden related activities in senior care facilities, schools, domestic violence programs, victims of trauma, with drug & alcohol treatment programs, at risk youth, and many other "special populations." But it also has application in the workplace, the home, and families with special needs children or frail elders. We will explore ways that the people-plant connection can be beneficial, in both active and passive applications. We will discuss the value in the people-plant connection physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Opportunity Garden
Everyone can benefit from the people-plant connection, including those recovering from surgery, cancer patients, those on hospice, family and professional caregivers. Age makes no difference, children and centarians can make discoveries in the garden. This program explores creative ways to use the garden most effectively, to soothe, comfort, reassure, empower and inspire.
Horticultural Therapy for Aging Parents and Their Family Caregivers
Our parents and grandparents have lived through a great deal of history, have acquired much wisdom and collected a treasure trove of stories. But now they are forced to surrender independence, responsibility, and the traditional role on the family. But with plants and related activities memories can be triggered, exercise can be self paced, each day can begin with discoveries in the garden, even if it is only a potted plant on the windowsill. Nurturing is empowering, and with plant projects depression can be reduced, blood pressure lowered and stories shared.
Horticultural Therapy for Families with Special Needs Children
The opportunity to be with plants, to nurture, stimulate the senses and experience success are all gifts from the garden, even the windowsill garden. But to often we focus on the limitations, the disabilities, be they physical, mental or emotional. But in the companionship of plants we concentrate on the possibilities, we celebrate the smiles, and share the discoveries that grow before us. In the garden all of our children can be empowered. Ideal for parents, grandparents, siblings and extended family.
Horticultural Therapy, Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Introducing Sensory Round Tables hands-on activities and the value of a good story, well told and well heard, for activity and senior care professionals. Families, clergy, educators, activity and health care professionals, are also invited.
Windowsill Whimsy
A great winter adventure in finding or designing unique planters that can bring a smile to one’s face and gladden the heart as a new plant friend gets adopted. Suitable for families of all ages, including grandparents and the grandchildren or grandfriends.There will be a hands-on, take home project.Based on the new book of the same title by Hank Bruce & Tomi Jill Folk.
Hosting a Flower Shoe
This is a simple project that can be a lot of fun for senior care facilities, schools, community programs and neighborhoods and families. Civic groups can even use it as a fund raiser. Each participant is asked to bring an old shoe, boot or other footwear that they are willing to turn into a planter. Originality counts, and so does a sense of humor.
Sensory Gardens & Sensory Roundtables
Sensory gardens are a basic part of many horticultural therapy programs for elders, Alzheimer’s patients, special needs children and many others. It is so much more than an herb garden. We will explore ways to use aromatic and flowering plants and plant materials with unique texture for sensory stimulation.
Finding Comfort & Joy in the Garden
Indoors and Out. Stress is a killer, but the connection between people and plants can be the healer. In this program we will explore how we can use time in the garden, even if that garden is only a potted plant on your windowsill, as a focal point for meditation, contemplation, prayer or simply "down time." We will explore ways to replace stress with comfort and cultivate our creative self by letting go, and lowering blood pressure in th process.
Gardening with a Higher Purpose
This world has a lot of problems, hunger, the environment, pollution, anger, conflict, homelessness, and many others, but we are the solution. We can work together as families, neighborhoods and communities to not only feed the hungry but help them grow their own sustenance. We can heal the environment by learning about, growing, and planting native trees, shrubs and other plants in our own yards and beyond. Together we can work to make community gardens accessible. We can cultivate smiles and harvest peace.
Feeding a Hungry World, in the 21st Century
We are all a Part of the Solution Hunger is one of the chronic problems this world faces. Even here in New Mexico we have neighbors who don’t know where the next meal is coming from. But we can help develop accessible community gardens, provide the means for families to rediscover the kitchen or dooryard garden as a means of improving nutrition. In the process we can build stronger families and a healthier next generation.
Creating Accessible Community & Neighborhood Gardens
There are thousands of community gardens in this country, but less than 10% are wheelchair accessible. There are so many simple ways to make our community & botanical gardens and home gardens functional for those of us who use wheelchairs, are vision or mobility challenged, or know first hand the ravages of time.
Miracle of the Moringa Tree
This can be an interactive program with children performing the story of a tree that is saving thousands of lives around the world where hunger and unsafe drinking water are everyday threats. We even provide our famous Moringa/Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies if requested.
Gardening in the Workplace
When we provide opportunities to garden in the workplace we can improve the quality of the air we breathe, reduce stress, improve productivity, decrease absenteeism and improve morale. It can be one of the least costly ways we can improve attitude and productivity. We discuss ways to promote gardening activities among employees and how it benefits.
On-Going HT Programs at Your Site
Hank Bruce is available for a limited number of on-going periodic programs at local sites. These can be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly visits to work with clients in hands-on projects and activities. Contact Hank for more information. These periodic programs are available in central New Mexico only.
Bibliotherapy - reading & writing as therapy
Senior Reading Clubs
Senior citizens deserve access to book clubs and reading groups focused on their experiences, perspectives and interests. Using books and materials formatted for their needs. This program is based on Seniors Illustrated, a new series of books by P Petals & Pages Press. Each volume contains stories, poems, full page illustrations that can be colored, and related activities for individuals, families and groups.
Elder Wisdom
It is time for the elders of the world to speak up. All cultures once honored their elders by seeking their wisdom, by listening to the lessons of experience tempered by the perspective of time. It’s the responsibility of elders to share the stories and be a part of tomorrow. It’s the responsibility of youth to seek these words and listen to this wisdom. They need to know the stories that bring us together and define our traditions, provide living history.In this program we explore ways to empower elders by creating books, e-books, classroom presentations and demonstrations.
Therapeutic Writing
Not all writing is for publication. Many people, including senior citizens, victims of trauma and violence, those in drug and alcohol treatment programs, even in prison programs have benefitted from this kind of exercise. In this program we explore ways to encourage the process, and how to use it as a therapeutic experience.
The Courage to Create
This course is open to all ages. It has been found to be especially beneficial for staff and anyone who want’s to be a writer, artist or pursue any other creative endeavor. There are exercises to liberate the creative voice within, tools to deal with writer’s block and how to make use of "support groups" for writers and artists.