For some time now, the interest in the innovative method of therapy, which is hortitherapy, has been growing in Krakow.It is enough to mention that it was in Krakow that the first nationwide conference devoted to this subject took place in 2012,In the near future, the inauguration of the postgraduate studies in Gardening Therapy will take place.
The Krakow Hortitherapy Forum as an informal initiative group was established in connection with the development of garden therapy in our city.The hortitherapy community at some point turned out to be large enough that steps could be taken to integrate it.
The Forum's mission is to support the development of garden therapy in the city of Krakow, incl. integration and activation of the local environment of hortitherapists, supporting the construction of professional gardening facilities necessary to conduct therapy, as well as transferring knowledge about this unique method and taking actions to promote it.
It is worth emphasizing that this is the first initiative of this type in Poland.We would like to see similar actions taken in other cities.Although we still have little experience, we are open to sharing with others what we have already achieved.
 "width=585 loading=lazy |
|
(photo: press release) |
Activities of the Krakow Hortiterapy Forum
The classes are addressed to, among others, occupational therapists, educators, psychologists, he alth care workers, gardeners, garden designers, academics and university students, as well as representatives of social organizations and local self-government authorities. simply to anyone interested in the development of garden therapy.
" It is extremely important that the Forum is made up of passionate people who are characterized by love for the cause, great commitment and total dedication. Our group is systematically growing, cooperation is established, everyone can visit the neighboring garden and learn something new, find inspiration. "
We meet once a month at the seat of the Civic Center in Krakow, where we have a large multimedia room at our disposal. Meetings are a very good opportunity to exchange experiences and forge new ideas.In the substantive part, lectures on hortiotherapy are conducted by academics from universities in Krakow.
" The forum also provides organizations with a space to present their own achievements in the field of garden therapy as part of the Hortitherapy in Action cycle. The meetings are accompanied by charity events, one of them is the action We support the construction of a sensory garden for Pola and Maks, coordinated by Anna Kłodzińska-Oleksy, garden designer. "
 "width=585 loading=lazy |
|
(photo: press release) |
What exactly is hortitherapy
It is worth saying a few words about the method itself. Horticultural therapy is a unique method that uses plants and gardening as tools for professionally conducted therapy and rehabilitation programs in many places around the world.It has the longest traditions in Great Britain, the USA and Canada, and it is developing more and more dynamically in European countries, and it also takes its first steps in Poland.
Gardening therapy is part of a larger whole, which is human issues in horticulture, sociohorticulture, a new field of knowledge that draws on the achievements of various sciences. The subject of her interests is the relationship between gardening and humans, both in an individual and social dimension, and the results of the research ultimately serve to improve the quality of human he alth and life.
It should be remembered, however, that not every contact with the garden can be called hydrotherapy.To be able to talk about garden therapy, the following conditions must be met.First, the person must be diagnosed and treated, then a treatment goal must be set, which can be measured and assessed, moreover, it is necessary a qualified employee conducting the therapy and finally the therapeutic procedure itself, focusing on gardening work, and primarily on the cultivation of plants.
" The key to a proper understanding of this unique method is its name itself, which is a combination of two words: the Latin hortus and the Greek therapeuein.The first of them means a garden, and the second, if we want to translate it, first means service and then treatment. "
"So we immediately see the double beauty of this method, resulting from the beauty of the garden itself and the beauty of serving other people. service is restoring people to he alth - body, mind and soul. "
Coming back to the Forum itself, we realize that there is still a lot of work ahead of us, but we believe that we will be able to implement our beautiful plans - but most importantly, the seed has been thrown and is just emerging.
Address: Centrum Inicjatyw Społecznych Nowa Huta os. Center 10CPostal code: 31-931The city of Krakow
