Nature is just around us! Development of an educational program for implementation of nature-based activities at a crisis shelter for women and children exposed to domestic violence

ABSTRACT

Being in nature and doing nature-based activities has been shown to reduce stress-related illnesses such as trauma and post-traumatic stress disorders. In 2016, the crisis shelter Danner in Denmark decided to implement a programme based on the therapeutic use of nature as a recovery method for their residents: women and children exposed to domestic violence. This was done in collaboration with the research group of University of Copenhagen. This paper describes the objectives of the project, the development of an educational programme and the implementation of nature-based therapy. The Danish model for qualifications in education developed by the Danish Ministry of Education was the overall structural framework for the programme. The education programme contained four overall elements: (1) a theoretical part on the nature–health relationship; (2) performance and development of practical nature activities in collaboration with staff; (3) case stories about the challenges of implementing nature-based therapy for the residents in the crisis shelter; and (4) the implementation phase of nature-based therapy at Danner. Developing qualifications related to the use of nature-activities and the use of nature-environment might be useful for social workers and strengthen their competences in their work with battered women and children.

KEYWORDS:

• Crises center
• domestic violence
• education for staff
• nature-based therapy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dorthe Varning Poulsen

Dorthe Varning Poulsen is associated Professor of Nature-based therapy, and is working with research within the subject of Nature and Health. She is educated as a physiotherapist, has a master degree in Sport and Welfare and a PhD from the University of Copenhagen, Institute of Natural Resource Management (IGN). She is also Head of Studies for the Master courses in Nature-based therapy and health promotion.

Victoria Linn Lygum

Victoria Linn Lygum is an assistant professor at the Section of Landscape Architecture and Planning where she is part of the research group Nature, Health and Design. She is doing research within the field of landscape architecture with a focus on evidence-based health design.

Hanne Gro Djernis

Hanne Gro Djernis is horticulturalist (Cand. hort), teacher and environmental therapist with many years of experience in teaching the skills of gardening to adolescents with psychiatric disorders. As department manager of the workshops at the social psychiatric residential facilities of Egholt, Hanne has special responsibilities for education, work schedule activities and outdoor activities on the farm and in the gardens. With environmental therapy as therapeutic basis Hanne has introduced horticultural therapy at the psychiatric housing of Egholt and expanded its facilities with healing gardens.

Ulrika K. Stigsdotter

Ulrika K. Stigsdotter is Professor of Landscape Architecture with special responsibilities in Health Design at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management (IGN), University of Copenhagen. As a landscape architect she received her PhD degree from the Department of Landscape Planning Alnarp, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), where she also completed her graduate studies. She is the leader of the research group Nature, Health & Design, and responsible landscape architect and project leader for the Nature, Health & Design Laboratory which is a collective name for two projects located in the Hoersholm arboretum: The Health Forest Octovia® and The Therapy Garden Nacadia®.