Designing & Using Therapeutic Green Spaces

Food Forest Tour

Join us for a fascinating journey through the lush world of food forests! Get ready to explore the wonders of sustainable and regenerative agriculture at our Pike Food Forest.

Location: 17813 Bridle Court, Jupiter, FL 33478

Program Description: ‘Designing and Using Therapeutic Green Spaces’ empowers counseling and mental health professionals to create, use, and evaluate restorative outdoor environments as safe, inclusive settings that support treatment outcomes and client transitions out of care.

This 17‑session continuing education series is grounded in neuroscience, psychosocial development theories, and permaculture design. The program addresses mental health issues related to screen fatigue, sleep and circadian health, nutrition via therapeutic gardening, accessibility and safety outdoors, social justice and cultural attunement, and green group therapy. Delivered live with real-time Q&A. One certificate issued at end of program.

Program Learning Objectives:

1. Apply neuroscience and psychophysiological evidence to explain how time in nature reduces stress and supports mental health.

2. Integrate lifespan and multicultural perspectives to adapt outdoor interventions for diverse developmental stages and cultures.

3. Design safe, accessible, and permaculture-informed therapeutic spaces at residential and community facilities.

4. Embed green-exposure goals (sleep hygiene, nutrition via gardening, movement) into treatment plans and transitions out of care.

5. Collaborate with clients to set measurable goals and document outcomes using validated assessments.

6. Implement risk management for outdoor clinical work (e.g., weather, heat, lightning, boundaries, consent).

7. Evaluate program impact with practical frameworks (e.g., RE-AIM) to guide quality improvement.

PARKING: Available on the grass along the street, just be sure not to block the street.

SAFETY:

Possible grassy or muddy terrain, so be sure to consider your footwear.

Children must be supervised at all times.

Bees, chickens, snakes, and other wildlife will be present, so consider your clothing choices ***Please do not attend if you have severe allergies or if you have balance concerns/ difficulty walking on uneven ground.

Hydrate prior to arrival. It is hot outside!

COST: Free but donations welcome! We host 4-H for the community 2x per week. All donations go towards educational aids

CANCELLATIONS: We give tours in light rain but not if there is heavy rain or lightening. We wait 30 minutes after lightening for safety.

***Please always confirm with us prior to coming. Sometimes we get sick or travel and so the tour is cancelled. Also, we do not give tours on holidays.

CHEATSHEETS: Having a copy of my book will help make the tour more meaningful. It has 200 plant cheatsheets (how to grow it, eat it, etc). Here is the link:

GUIDEBOOK: Transforming Florida Yards: A Regional Food Forest Guide: https://a.co/d/5ip4I7M

FACEBOOK: Also, I made a Facebook page for the food forest book where I’ll post food forest updates, tips, resources and recipes: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087621949914