Horticultural Therapy as a Profession and a Practice

Horticultural Therapy (HT) is a formal practice that uses plants and nature to promote well-being for its participants. It is goal oriented with expected outcomes and is administered by professionally trained Horticultural Therapists. Research shows that HT is proven to be beneficial in a wide variety of healthcare, residential, school and rehabilitative settings.

Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) is the purposeful use of plants and plant-related activities to promote health and wellness for an individual or group. In TH programs the leader will be trained in the use of horticulture to promote well-being but, goals are not clinically defined.

Horticultural Therapy is a developing profession yet has been practised for decades. Rehabilitative care of hospitalized war veterans after World War II greatly expanded the practice of HT. Now taught and practised throughout the world, HT is used in a diversity of settings and cultures.

The Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association

The Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association (CHTA) is a non-profit organization incorporated in May, 1987. The CHTA works to promote and advance HT education and practice across Canada. It has a membership base of over 150 individuals and organizations located in Canada, the United States and internationally. Benefits include: a bimonthly newsletter, annual conference, and published guidelines for HT education programs and HT internships.

The CHTA administers a voluntary professional registration system based on academic achievements, training in HT and TH, work and volunteer experience, and internships.

The CHTA offers access to liability insurance for members who are professionally registered either as a registered horticultural therapist (HTR) or as a horticultural therapist technician (HTT).

The CHTA Goals are:

1. to promote and advance horticultural therapy in Canada
2. to develop guidelines for HT training programs
3. to provide a source of information about therapeutic horticulture and horticultural therapy
4. to manage support services for its members including voluntary professional registration

The CHTA holds an annual general meeting concurrent with its annual conference. The next conference is scheduled for August 6 - 8, 2010, and will be held in Truro, Nova Scotia.

Canadian Horticultural Therapy Association
100 Westmount Road
Guelph, ON N1H 5H8
www.chta.ca

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