How does your environment affect your overall wellbeing? Did you know that being in nature not only reduces stress, but can also boost immune activity? Additionally, a growing number of researchers and human service professionals believe that many issues facing people today - issues that include depression, anxiety and stress - are due, in part, to our separation from nature.
Nature-Based Therapies, or NBT, focuses on the healing power of nature through interactions with plants, animals and natural landscapes. Through research, courses and products, the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing is working to advance this emerging field.
As this field expands, the Center will play an important role in convening leading experts and researchers. Hospital patients recover faster when they can view nature. Working with plants or animals can improve concentration, encourage relaxation, and improve self-esteem. Digging in rich, black soil just feels good. But why? The emerging field called Nature-Based Therapeutics (NBT), which includes, but isn’t limited to, therapeutic horticulture, restorative environments, facilitated green exercise, care farming, healing gardens, and animal-assisted interactions, focuses on the healing power of nature. The environment plays a critical role in your overall wellbeing, and a growing number of researchers and human service professionals believe that many issues facing people today - issues that include depression, anxiety and stress - are due, in part, to our separation from nature.
Courses
Our nature-based therapiess courses are divided into three areas: therapeutic horticulture, animal-assisted interactions and therapeutic landscape design. Students can apply courses towards the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Integrative Therapies and Healing Practices or towards another degree.
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