By Yvette Slagle, Outreach Assistant
On Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Pacific Quest’s Clinical Director, Hilary Moses, LCSW and Horticultural Therapy Director, Travis Slagle will present “Horticultural Therapy: A Growing Edge In Outdoor Treatment” at the annual Wilderness Therapy Symposium in Boulder, Colorado.
As a world renowned therapeutic program for struggling adolescents and young adults, Pacific Quest is proud to be part of the 2013 Wilderness Therapy Symposium. This six-hour experiential workshop will explore the theory and innovative practice of Horticultural Therapy. In a recent interview, Horticultural Therapy Director, Travis Slagle commented, “Horticultural Therapy is an integrative growth-focused treatment model that places the client in a caregiving role, and offers a safe alternative to traditional wilderness therapy.” Participants in this workshop will explore the benefits of outdoor treatment activities that foster a reciprocal relationship with nature that helps clients to cultivate the capacity to care for life and the skills to ensure a sustainable future. Slagle states, “Adolescents and young adults at Pacific Quest learn to actively care for and engage in the growth and mystery of the natural world, which is fundamental to any effective therapeutic garden program.” This workshop will take place at a nationally recognized therapeutic garden in the Boulder area called Growing Gardens.
The annual Wilderness Therapy Symposium is hosted by the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC), which was founded in 1997. The OBHIC is a group of leading outdoor behavioral healthcare programs, whose mission is “to advance the field through best practices, effective treatment, and evidence-based research.”